Is this even possible????

[littled]

Bear with me ladies...this post will probably be as long as a chapter from a book!

I went three months ago for a Dual energy Xray absorbtiometry scan, also known as DXA. For those of you who have never heard of it, it's basically a type of Xray machine that tests for bone density, as well as body compostition. It breaks your body into pieces according to mass fat and bone, and gives you the exact amount of each for each body part.

So, 12 weeks have past, and I go yesterday for my second scan and I'm so confused and dissappointed with the results...This thing is telling me that I only gained muscle on the LEFT half of my body, which is my weak side (i'm right handed)

Here is what it says: The results are in grams, and there is 454 grams in one pound.

Previous body fat 14% Current 16%

Left arm- increase in lean mass of 169grams (roughly 1/3 of a pound)

Right arm- Decrease of lean mass of 2 grams

Left leg- an increase in lean mass of 176 grams

Right leg- an increase in lean mass of 17 grams

This is a pretty big swing, from one limb to the next.

Now, the real kicker is when it comes to my pelvis and torso. It's telling me that I lost 502 grams of muscle and gained 644 grams of fat!

I know I my body likes to store fat in that area, so I can definitley see why the increase in fat would be there, but I refuse to believe that I have lost muscle from that area, especially when it's one that I have been paying extra attention to. (NO, I have not been overtraining it)

This whole thing just makes no sense! All of my measurements have gone up evenly on both sides of my body and when I study my progress pics I certainly dont look like I've lost muscle in the pelvis and torso.

Why would I only be gaining muscle on one half of my body?

Should I call BULLS*** and disregard? Should I Insist on them redoing the test?

[joelster]

Post up some before and after pics if you could. How does it determine fat? I mean you said it determines "mass fat and bone", there is more to your body than that. Does water fall under fat or bone? How about ligaments, tendons, veins, arteries, etc...All those things will increase a bit under weight training.

Gaining strength/mass on your weak side is not a bad thing either.

How do you look in the mirror? That counts more than a printout on a piece of paper.

[littled]

I believe water would fall under Lean mass, which also includes muscle and the soft organs and tissue. The fat mass is all of the fatty tissue found within the body as well as the subcutaneous fat found under the skin. And finally, the bone is the sum of all skeletal tissue in the body.

I'll try and post pics later.

[littled]

How do you look in the mirror? That counts more than a printout on a piece of paper.[/QUOTE]


There is a definite change (for the better) in the mirror!

[joelster]

There is a definite change (for the better) in the mirror!

That's all that really matters, and of course how you FEEL matters too.

[Suzanne]

since water prob counts as lean mass that is prob waht you lost in torso maybe holding a bit more water the first time

[littled]

since water prob counts as lean mass that is prob waht you lost in torso maybe holding a bit more water the first time
I thought of that too! The likelihood of me losing muscle in that area is pretty slim, especially when my diet and training support growth.

But, I'm still stumped as to why only ONE side of me grew?????