Have you ever felt frustrated when the number on your bathroom scale doesn’t budge despite weeks of consistent exercise and careful eating? You’re not alone. Many fitness journeys are derailed by an over-reliance on a single, misleading metric: weight. At WNC Barbell in Asheville, we understand this struggle, which is why we offer advanced body composition analysis with our state-of-the-art InBody 570 scanner.
This technology provides a complete picture of your health beyond just pounds and ounces, revealing what’s really happening inside your body as you work toward your fitness goals. Let’s dive into the science behind body composition analysis and discover why tracking more than just your weight can revolutionize your fitness journey.
1. Understanding Body Composition: The Key to Effective Fitness
When most people say they want to “lose weight,” what they really mean is they want to lose fat while maintaining or increasing muscle. Traditional scales can’t tell the difference between a pound of muscle and a pound of fat—they simply measure your total body mass against gravity.
Body composition analysis, however, measures the various components that make up your total weight:
- Skeletal Muscle Mass: The amount of muscle attached to your skeleton
- Body Fat Mass: The total weight of fat in your body
- Body Water: The water content in your body, divided between intracellular and extracellular water
- Dry Lean Mass: Proteins and minerals in your body
With this detailed breakdown, you can see exactly what’s changing in your body during your fitness journey—even when the scale hasn’t moved.
2. How InBody Technology Works: Science in Action
The InBody 570 at WNC Barbell uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to measure body composition. This sophisticated technology works by sending safe, low-level electrical currents through your body. These currents travel at different speeds through different types of tissue:
- Water conducts electricity easily
- Muscle contains approximately 73% water, making it a good conductor
- Fat contains less water, making it a poor conductor
By measuring the resistance (impedance) to these electrical currents, the InBody 570 can calculate with remarkable precision how much of your body is made up of muscle, fat, and water.
What sets the InBody 570 apart from other BIA devices is its use of multiple frequencies and electrodes. The scanner uses different frequencies to measure both intracellular and extracellular water and takes measurements from various body segments (arms, trunk, legs) separately. This multi-frequency, multi-electrode approach provides significantly more accurate results than single-frequency BIA devices or traditional bathroom scales with BIA features.
3. Why Weight Loss Isn’t the Complete Picture
Consider this scenario: Two people both weigh 160 pounds. Person A has 25% body fat (40 pounds of fat), while Person B has 15% body fat (24 pounds of fat). Despite weighing exactly the same, Person B has significantly more muscle mass and less fat—a composition associated with better health outcomes and physical performance.
Weight alone tells us very little about health or fitness. Here’s why focusing solely on weight can be misleading:
- Muscle weighs more than fat (by volume): A pound of muscle takes up approximately 18% less space than a pound of fat. You could be getting leaner and more toned while maintaining or even gaining weight.
- Water weight fluctuates daily: Your body’s water content can change by several pounds throughout the day based on hydration, sodium intake, carbohydrate consumption, and hormonal fluctuations.
- Weight doesn’t indicate health: Research consistently shows that body composition metrics like visceral fat level and muscle-to-fat ratio are much better predictors of health than total weight.
- Weight can mask progress: Many people experience body recomposition—simultaneously gaining muscle while losing fat—which may not show on the scale but dramatically changes how they look and feel.
At WNC Barbell, we’ve seen countless members frustrated by scale weight who discover through InBody scans that they’ve actually gained muscle and lost fat—a major health and fitness victory hidden by traditional measuring methods.
4. Key Body Composition Metrics and What They Mean for You
When you get an InBody scan at WNC Barbell, your results sheet provides valuable metrics that give you a comprehensive picture of your health:
Skeletal Muscle Mass
This measurement tells you how much muscle is attached to your skeleton—the muscle that powers your movements and supports your metabolism. Increasing skeletal muscle mass:
- Boosts your basal metabolic rate (BMR)
- Improves insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control
- Enhances functional strength for daily activities
- Supports joint health and reduces injury risk
Percent Body Fat
This measures the proportion of your total weight that comes from fat tissue. While some body fat is essential for health (typically 10-13% for men and 18-20% for women), excess body fat percentage is associated with increased health risks. The InBody 570 provides not just your total body fat percentage but also breaks down fat distribution across different body segments.
Visceral Fat Level
Perhaps the most important fat measurement for health, visceral fat is the fat stored around your internal organs. Unlike subcutaneous fat (the fat just beneath your skin), visceral fat actively produces hormones and inflammatory substances that increase your risk of:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Certain cancers
- High blood pressure
The InBody 570 gives you a visceral fat rating that helps you track this critical health marker that no bathroom scale can detect.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
This calculation shows how many calories your body burns at complete rest just to maintain basic functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. Knowing your precise BMR helps you:
- Set appropriate calorie targets for your goals
- Understand why your metabolism might be faster or slower than average
- Track increases in metabolism as you build muscle
Segmental Lean Analysis
The InBody 570 measures muscle mass in five separate body segments—each arm, each leg, and your trunk. This detailed breakdown helps identify:
- Muscle imbalances between right and left sides
- Underdeveloped areas that might benefit from targeted training
- Progress in specific body areas over time
5. Benefits of Regular Body Composition Testing
At WNC Barbell, we recommend regular InBody scans every 4-8 weeks for members serious about their fitness. Here’s why:
More Meaningful Progress Tracking
With comprehensive body composition data, you can see changes in muscle and fat that might not be reflected on the scale. This provides validation that your hard work is paying off, even during plateaus in weight.
Personalized Fitness Planning
Knowing your specific body composition allows for more targeted exercise programming. If your scan shows muscle imbalances or specific areas with higher fat deposits, your training can be adjusted accordingly.
Nutrition Optimization
Your InBody results provide data to better calibrate your nutrition approach. Your BMR, along with activity levels, gives you a scientific basis for calorie targets rather than following generic recommendations.
Health Risk Assessment
Tracking metrics like visceral fat and muscle-to-fat ratio helps identify potential health risks before they become serious problems. Many WNC Barbell members have been motivated to make lifestyle changes after seeing objective data about their health.
Motivation Through Data
There’s something powerful about seeing concrete numbers improve over time. Even when visible changes are slow to appear, your InBody results can show that positive changes are happening internally.
6. InBody Testing at WNC Barbell: What to Expect
At WNC Barbell, we make body composition analysis accessible to everyone. Here’s what to expect when you schedule an InBody 570 scan:
The Testing Process
- You’ll remove your shoes and socks and stand on the InBody platform
- While holding the hand electrodes, the machine sends safe, low-level electrical currents through your body
- In less than 45 seconds, the scan is complete
- You’ll receive a printed results sheet and a consultation to interpret your results
Preparation for Accurate Results
For the most accurate InBody scan results, we recommend:
- Avoid eating a heavy meal 2-3 hours before testing
- Stay hydrated but avoid excessive water consumption immediately before testing
- Avoid intense exercise 12 hours before testing
- Empty your bladder before the test
- Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before testing
Pricing and Availability
InBody body composition analysis reports cost $35 for WNC Barbell Members and $45 for non-members. Our knowledgeable staff provides a free consultation with every scan to help you understand your results and how to use them to enhance your fitness journey.
7. Frequently Asked Questions About InBody Scans
How accurate is the InBody 570 scanner?
The InBody 570 is among the most accurate commercially available body composition analyzers, with validation studies showing a high correlation with the gold standard DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scans. That said, what matters most for tracking purposes is consistency—getting scanned under similar conditions each time to accurately track changes.
How often should I get an InBody scan?
We recommend getting scanned every 4-8 weeks. This timeframe allows enough time for measurable changes in body composition while providing regular feedback to keep you motivated and on track.
Will the electrical current be uncomfortable or harmful?
No, the electrical current used is extremely low-level and is not felt by most people. The test is safe for most individuals, though we don’t recommend it for those with pacemakers or who are pregnant.
Do I need to do anything special to prepare for my scan?
For the most accurate results, avoid eating 2-3 hours before your scan, stay hydrated (but don’t drink excessive amounts right before), avoid intense exercise for 12 hours prior, and empty your bladder before testing.
How long does the scan take?
The actual scan takes less than 45 seconds. With the consultation to review your results, the entire process takes about 15-20 minutes.
Can InBody scans track my progress even if the scale doesn’t move?
Absolutely! This is one of the primary benefits of body composition analysis. The InBody 570 can detect changes in muscle mass and body fat percentage even when your total weight remains the same.
Is an InBody scan worth the cost?
Many of our members consider their regular InBody scans to be one of the best investments in their fitness journey. The detailed data provides motivation, guidance for training and nutrition, and peace of mind that their efforts are producing results—even when those results aren’t visible yet.
How do I interpret my InBody results?
Every InBody scan at WNC Barbell includes a free consultation with our knowledgeable staff to help you understand your results. We’ll explain what each number means, how it relates to your goals, and what changes you might consider to your training or nutrition based on the data.
Can children or teenagers get InBody scans?
Yes, the InBody 570 can be used for individuals of all ages, though interpretation of results differs for growing bodies. We require parental consent for anyone under 18.
How does an InBody scan compare to other methods like calipers or underwater weighing?
The InBody 570 offers several advantages over other methods: it’s quick, non-invasive, doesn’t rely on technician skill (like calipers), provides more comprehensive data than most other methods, and offers segment-specific analysis that most other techniques cannot.
8. Take Control of Your Fitness Journey with Data-Driven Insights
At WNC Barbell, we believe that what gets measured gets managed. By tracking your body composition with our InBody 570 scanner, you gain insights into your fitness journey that go far beyond what any scale can tell you.
Ready to discover what’s really happening in your body? Schedule your InBody scan today by calling us at (828) 665-2007 or visiting our facility at 237 Sardis Rd. in Asheville. Stop guessing about your progress and start knowing with scientific precision. Your body is changing in ways your bathroom scale can’t detect—let us show you the complete picture.
WNC Barbell: Building the strong body of your dreams with science, support, and state-of-the-art technology.