Meet Bodyscan, PerformancePro partner and the UK’s leading authority on the use of DEXA X-ray technology to measure body fat composition.
In part 1 of PerformancePro’s Body Composition series we mentioned the F word! We faced the truth, myths and challenges in measuring our body fat levels. In this post, we go deeper, literally, and introduce you to Bodyscan. But before we do, let’s just take a reality check.
The UK is now the most overweight nation in Western Europe. 70% of those born in the 80s and 90s will be overweight or obese by the time they are 30-45. Obesity-related diseases such as heart disease and type-2 diabetes are prevalent.
By overweight, we really mean carrying too much fat. In Body Composition Part 1, we briefly outlined the difference between subcutaneous (outside) and visceral (inside) fat. Understanding how much fat you carry, and where it is, is the best starting point to help motivate and inform the approach you take to a fitter, healthier and smarter lifestyle.
If you’re not overweight and think you’re on the right track, it’s always a good idea to know your body composition. This will either validate your programme OR help you tweak or even change course! You may not be carrying too much fat but you could be low on muscle.
SO, WHO ARE BODYSCAN AND WHAT IS DEXA?
Bodyscan uses DEXA technology (a very-low-dose dual-energy X-ray used by the medical profession) to measure your body composition ie the total amount and location of fat, lean tissue (essentially muscle) and bone in your body. Specifically, the team at Bodyscan uses DEXA to establish two very important numbers – your fat-mass index (FMI) and lean-mass index (LMI).
Bodyscan founder and director, Phil Chant, explains,
‘People used to weigh themselves. Then it was BMI and now it’s body-fat percentage. DEXA technology goes beyond all of these. It measures your whole body composition with precision, accuracy and, most importantly, consistency.
‘At Bodyscan, we use our colour DEXA image and data analysis to show you not just how much fat and lean mass you’re carrying, but how it’s distributed around your body – left to right, top to bottom and inside to outside. You can’t spot-lose fat but you can target specific areas for muscle growth.
More than a snapshot.
Crucially, Bodyscan measures with consistency. It’s good to get a baseline reading, but what’s more significant and useful is measuring the changes in body composition over time. This gives you an accurate assessment of the success, or otherwise, of your fitness approach.
In true Bodyscan style, Phil cuts through the jargon,
‘Having your body composition measured just once with any method is like building one train station. But, where are you going to go from there? The strength of X-ray technology is its accuracy and reproducibility. With DEXA, you will know that the changes measured over time are real. They are not the result of bad calibration, human error and/or your personal trainer squeezing the callipers too hard!’
BODYSCAN, THE STORY SO FAR
Phil Chant started the company in 2013 when he returned from Australia. He had had his eyes opened by DEXA technology as a customer when he lived in Sydney.
‘I knew my pale, British, skinny-fat body did not look good on Bondi Beach, even at night! DEXA scans provided the motivation to lose my potbelly and the hard data made me realise my training regime just wasn’t working.’
Inspired by the technology, Phil returned to the UK to set up Bodyscan. He began operations in Marylebone and then established Bodyscan City, near the Bank of England, in November 2016.
Some 4500 scans later, Bodyscan has the UK’s biggest database of DEXA-measured body composition results and is the leading authority in body fat scanning and analysis. Regulated by the Care Quality Commission and respected by medical and fitness professionals alike, Bodyscan takes its service and reputation seriously,
‘The Bodyscan team all feel strongly about what we do because DEXA gives people the reliable, medical-grade information they need to improve body composition and overall health. People often think they are ‘pretty fit and active’ even when they are carrying very high amounts of body fat or, conversely, very low levels of muscle mass. At Bodyscan, we let the numbers do the talking. We don’t make any judgements but we don’t pull punches either. We inform people about where they are and where they need to get to. Our customers want to know the facts.’
And the Bodyscan facts and customers speak for themselves,
Every one of its Google reviews is 5-star and 29 of the last 30 reviews on the Bodyscan website are 5-star (the other is 4-star). As clients shed kilos of fat and/or gain muscle mass, they describe the Bodyscan service as ‘eye-opening,’ ‘motivating,’ ‘professional,’ ‘friendly,’ ‘informative’ and ‘excellent’. One of the most recent reviews begins, ‘A first-class experience from start to finish.’
BODYSCAN AND PERFORMANCEPRO
As with any integrity-led company operating in the health industry, Bodyscan is wary of the latest fads and bandwagon marketing. This healthy cynicism also extends to personal trainers!
Bodyscan is a performance-based company. So when they noticed the number of PerformancePro clients visiting Bodyscan in Marylebone and using DEXA to measure great results, it just made sense to develop the relationship.
Phil Chant gets to the point,
‘At Bodyscan, we have obviously met more than our fair share of personal trainers and, frankly, the vast majority of them are mediocre. We quickly got a sense that PerformancePro is serious about what it does and we have the DEXA-validated results to prove it!’
And, from PerformancePro’s point of view? Director, Dan Boulle, sums up the relationship,
‘We greatly enjoy our relationship with Bodyscan. Phil and his team know what they’re doing, so we’re totally on the same page. We also share the delight and reward of working together as we see and hear the very real and sustained difference our partnership makes to the health and therefore lives of our clients.’
BODYSCAN, WHAT TO EXPECT
Bodyscan is for anyone and everyone interested in improving their health, reducing fat, gaining muscle or just looking and feeling better.
They say there’s no quick fix when it comes to becoming healthier, but Bodyscan is probably one of the most relaxing steps you’ll take in your fitness journey. The scan itself takes as little as four minutes and requires you to simply lie still on a bed for that time. If it’s your first visit, your consultation will take an hour in total, so your results can be explained thoroughly to you. Subsequent progress scans take just 20 minutes.
Preparation for a DEXA Body Scan
Whilst the dose of X-ray is extremely low (less than a day’s normal background radiation), DEXA scans are not suitable for pregnant women.
Clients are advised to fast for four hours before the scan and be normally hydrated with water, tea, etc.
BODYSCAN OFFER FOR PERFORMANCEPRO CLIENTS
Enjoy 15% off the Baseline scan with consultation for one or two people, using promo code PERFORMANCEPRO15 or CLICK HERE and the discount will be applied automatically. All bookings are taken online.
The promotion does not apply to pre-paid packages of multiple scans or to the Progress scan (which comes without consultation).
Please show your PerformancePro client card on the day.