Learn the most important body composition considerations during weight loss and why DEXA Scan data helps protect muscle, bone, and metabolic health.
Most people approach weight loss with a single goal, to see the number on the scale go down. The problem is that weight loss does not tell you what you are actually losing. You could be losing fat, muscle, or even bone mass. Only one of those leads to better health and long term results.
At Kalos, we help clients focus on body composition, not just weight, using DEXA Scan data to ensure fat loss comes from the right places while lean muscle and bone health are protected.
Here is what you need to consider if you want weight loss to improve your health, not compromise it.
The scale combines:
A drop in body weight does not guarantee fat loss. In fact, aggressive dieting often leads to muscle loss first, which slows metabolism and increases the risk of rebound weight gain.
The real objective should be:
This is what creates a leaner, stronger, and healthier body long term.
Muscle is metabolically active tissue. Losing muscle during weight loss leads to:
Strength training and adequate protein intake are essential to preserve muscle during a calorie deficit.
A DEXA Scan allows you to confirm whether lean mass is being preserved throughout your weight loss phase.
Visceral fat surrounds your internal organs and poses the greatest health risk.
Reducing visceral fat improves:
Visceral fat reduction is not always proportional to scale weight loss. This is why tracking it directly with DEXA is so important.
A deficit that is too aggressive increases the likelihood of muscle loss.
A sustainable approach usually involves:
DEXA data often shows better fat loss outcomes in people who lose weight more slowly but preserve lean mass.
Rapid weight loss and under eating can negatively impact bone density, especially in women and older adults.
Weight bearing exercise and resistance training help maintain bone strength.
DEXA scans track bone mineral density, allowing early identification of potential issues.
Where you lose fat matters.
Central fat loss improves health far more than fat loss from limbs or hips.
DEXA shows fat distribution across the body, helping you understand whether your weight loss is reducing risk or just changing appearance.
During a weight loss phase, you should track:
Tracking only weight is incomplete and often misleading.
For most people, reassessing body composition every 4 to 8 weeks provides enough time to see meaningful changes without over interpreting short term fluctuations.
This allows timely adjustments to training, nutrition, or recovery.
A Kalos client lost 12 lbs in eight weeks using aggressive calorie restriction. Their DEXA scan revealed significant muscle loss and minimal visceral fat reduction. After adjusting to a moderate deficit, increasing protein, and adding strength training, their next scan showed:
Weight loss became healthier and more sustainable.
Weight loss without body composition awareness can lead to muscle loss, slower metabolism, and poor long term outcomes. The goal should always be to lose fat while preserving muscle and bone health.
With DEXA Scan tracking at Kalos, you can ensure your weight loss strategy improves the metrics that truly matter for health, performance, and longevity, not just the number on the scale.
If you are ready to take control of your health with the most accurate body composition analysis available, it is time to book your DEXA scan at Kalos. Whether you are looking to get lean, build muscle, improve performance, or optimize longevity, our advanced technology and expert guidance will help you get there.
Schedule your scan today at Kalos, your journey to data-driven fitness starts now.
Bay Area residents trust Kalos to deliver results. We proudly serve the entire Bay Area including the following locations:
