Here's Why You Should Trust A Body Scanner, Not A Weight Scale

A few weeks into the New Year is when a lot of fitness resolutions seem to dwindle off and the gym-timidation sets in. One of the reasons for this dwindling is because you've began eating right and increasing your activity level, but you're still seeing the same number on the scale. Maybe the problem isn't you - maybe it's the scale and maybe it can all be resolved by using a body scanner.

After seeing clients discouraged week after week with the number beneath their feet, many health clubs are moving towards using body scanning technology instead of relying on tracking body weight to measure progress.

So, don't throw out all those cute workout clothes you bought to help reach your fitness goals just yet.

The scanner craze is finally allowing clients to visualize their body changing in real time. It gives an accurate picture of where they are losing fat and where they are gaining muscle. The affirmation clients get from actually seeing their hard work pay off keeps them coming back for more.

Body scanning might sound like something out of Star Trek, but nutrition professionals have been using technology like this for years.

The gold standard for measuring body composition is called DEXA, but is mainly restricted to clinical settings because it the technology it uses is very pricey. There are other methods like BodPods, which function through measuring air displacement, but these are mostly reserved for research and professional athletes.

With the new body scanners in fitness centers across the country, all of us regular joe's out there can work on their fitness without signing for the NFL.

These health clubs have the right idea. Giving clients tangible and visible results is proving to be more effective than relying on weekly weigh-in's. The body scanner bandwagon is definitely one everybody should hop on.