Getting in shape with scientific evidence
By Lety Trejo
Taking advantage of the month of January known for resolutions and intentions we wish to integrate into our lives, I am going to touch on the subject of Body Composition.
Modern digital scales not only tell us our weight and height, they also show us other important data. And why is this data important? Because it gives solidity to what we already know intuitively. It’s concrete because it’s in numbers, and in numbers there is no sentimentality. That is to say, it is not the same for your partner or someone in your family to tell you: «I think you have put on a little weight» or «Are you sure that this is the right size?” If a person tells us that we should lose weight it’s offensive and gives us the excuse to feel offended but do nothing about it. But we can’t get angry with a digital device, can we?
The most relevant data to know what kind of nutritional plan or what kind of training is going to get us to be healthier is the following:
Percentage of muscle mass (lean mass/protein).
Percentage of total water (cellular hydration)
Percentage of total bone (bone density/minerals)
Percentage of total fat
Percentage of visceral fat (surrounding organs)
These modern evaluations give the result as blood chemistry laboratories do, giving us a minimum and a maximum. That is, although we are not specialists, we know that below the minimum allowed there is a risk and above the maximum allowed there is also a risk. Modern gyms have this type of digital scales. Also, some nutritionists perform this evaluation so everyone can learn how urgent it is to commit to a healthy diet and proper training to be in shape.
RISKS. The risk of having low muscle mass is that you can easily acquire osteopenia or generate asymmetries in the skeleton. The risk of having a low percentage of water is cellular dehydration which makes you feel dizziness or headaches. A high rate of water represents fluid retention that generates general inflammation. One of the risks of having low bone density is having osteoporosis and being prone to fractures. The high total fat index represents overweight or obesity which is an invitation to diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. And finally, and most importantly, a high percentage of visceral fat indicates the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
With this text I do not intend to generate any alarm, only the awareness of having clear and precise data that will help us to take care of ourselves. After all, the body is the generator of pleasurable sensory experiences, freedom to move wherever our dreams take us, it is also our representative before others, remember that 75 percent of the communication between us and others is NOT verbal, but physical. If you want to be congruent with the greatness of your soul, take care of your body.
Translated by Sydney Metrick
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