So, how old is your body?

I though I know

Have you ever see a super good looking car broke down by the road? Well, human are like that as well. On the facade Some people look younger than their age, some look older. But what is the condition inside? Is there a way to tell your physical age?

Recently I just signed up with a gym. During the intro the instructor brought me to this weighing machine. And this is how it goes…

Me: I can tell you my weight. It is 93kg...and yes, based on BMI I am obese (trying to show that I know a thing or two)

Instructor: Yes, but do you know how old you are?

Me: Huh? what kind of question is this? Of course I know how old I am?

Instructor: I bet you don’t know how old your body is?

Me: Huh? what do you mean?

My body is older than me!

I was then told to take off my sock and stand on this “weighing machine”. At first it shows my weight. I was telling myself “I told you I know my weight”. Then the instructor key in my gender, age and height and the machine went into a thinking mode. After a few seconds, it produces a printout. I was thinking “Yah, fancy weighing machine”. The instructor pick up the printout and announced “Your body is 52yrs old”. Hey wait…But I am only going to be 49 in Sept. How can I be 52?

How much extra fat I am carrying everyday. And my body is actually older than I though. Sad indeed.
Close up Printout produced by TANITA SC 330 Body Composition Analyzer

Actual Printout produced by TANITA SC 330 Body Composition Analyzer

Seeing throught your body - A Body composition analyzer

Apparently, this machine is a not just a fancy weighing machine. It is a  body composition analyzer). It is by TANITA.   What it does is it uses an electrodes that connect to your body (In this case the foot pad. That is why I have to take off my sock) to  send a small electric signal to circulated in your body. Simply explained, BIA measures the impedance or resistance to the signal as it travels through the water that is found in muscle and fat. The more muscle a person has, the more water their body can hold. The greater the amount of water in a person's body, the easier it is for the current to pass through it. The more fat, the more resistance to the current. BIA is safe and it does not hurt. In fact, the signal used in body fat monitors can not be felt at all either by an adult or child.

TANITA SC 330 Body Composition Analyzer

So with this machine, not only you know your body weight, you also know your fat mass muscle mass, bone mass and whole chunk of other information. With all these information available, it give rise to a lot of possibility. I am not long reducing weight blindly. I can now monitor how can I reduce fat and at the same time improve on my muscle.

I will share with you more on how I use this machine to improve my overall health.