At the Fitness Center at UH Avon Health Center, the certified and degreed fitness specialists perform an InBody test for all its new members to better gauge their health

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Your weight doesn’t tell the whole story. (Photography: Benjamin Margalit)

By Laura Briedis

For those of us baking dozens of holiday cookies or feasting on fattening appetizers and calorie-laden drinks at festive parties this month, we have the same mindset: Indulge now because in a few weeks we will start losing weight in the New Year.

But shedding pounds is not what it’s all about, as the numbers on the scale can be misleading.

“Many people do not understand what their weight really represents,” says Renee Barrett, program manager at the Fitness Center at University Hospitals Avon Health Center.

“When you step on a scale, you can’t see how much muscle or fat you have. Weight alone is a poor indicator of health because it does not distinguish fat from muscle.”

At the Fitness Center at UH Avon Health Center, the certified and degreed fitness specialists perform an InBody test for all new members to better gauge their health. This complimentary service provides a detailed analysis of how much lean mass you have in every part of your body.

“This advanced technology is a powerful tool that helps our members improve their health and wellness,” says Renee. “It gives members a starting point to see where they are when setting goals.”

“Using this detailed information, we personalize each exercise program depending on the person’s goal, whether that is to lose weight, just feel more energetic or get through a fitness plateau,” she says.

“We also use this for members who are diagnosed with cancer or within six months of remission to make sure they are not retaining fluids after surgery or treatments.”

The InBody composition analysis provides a detailed breakdown of your weight in terms of muscle, fat and water. The test is fast and easy. You simply step on a scale and electrodes that have touch points on the feet and hands accurately measure impedance in the body. It provides independent measurements for five cylinders on your body: left arm, right arm, left leg, right leg and trunk.

This non-invasive test takes less than 30 seconds and is repeated every four to six weeks to measure progress.

In addition to this new technology, fitness specialists check heart rate, blood pressure, flexibility, muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance as part of the comprehensive new member assessment.

“People come to us and want to lose weight, but we need to make sure they are not losing muscle. As we begin to age, starting as early as our mid-20s, if we do not exercise we will start to lose that lean mass,” explains Renee.

“The great news is that it is never too late to start exercising, as people in their 60s and 70s who start a strength training program can still build muscle mass.”

The Fitness Center at UH Avon Health Center is located at 1997 Healthway Drive in Avon. Tour the facility and learn about membership opportunities. Call 440-988-6801 or visit UHhospitals.org/Fitness for details.