Weight Loss: All Pounds Are Not Created Equal

With weight loss, most of us talk about losing pounds, but what we really need to lose is pounds of fat. We may actually want to aim to pack on a little muscle weight at the same time. That means the scale doesn’t always reflect the changes you are making in your body through diet and exercise. Enter Body Impedance Analysis (BIA).

Body Impedance Analysis (also known as Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) is an important tool for weight loss specialists and those trying to lose weight, said Dr. Matthew Draelos, board certified in metabolism, endocrinology and diabetes.

““Whenever I do an initial evaluation of a patient, the body impedance analysis is always included. That’s because we need to know where we are to know where we are going with any weight loss plan. In addition, we aren’t just focused on pounds lost when working with weight loss patients. We want to be sure that dieters are losing fat, not muscle. BIA helps us do that,” Draelos said.

The BIA equipment looks a bit like an electronic scale. You stand on the device hold onto handles at the top and it does the rest.

BIA works by measuring electrical signals as they pass through fat, muscle tissue and water inside a person’s body. A computer then measures the conductivity – or impedance – of the various tissues in the body. From there it calculates specifically how much of an individual’s body weight is fat versus muscle versus water. The test is painless and produces results in only a couple of minutes.

BIA is an important first step in developing a weight-loss program tailored for each individual, said Draelos. At Draelos Metabolic Center, weight loss patients also undergo BIA regularly to help them better track their success and stay motivated.

"I had one patient who was in for a regular visit. The regular scale showed he had not lost any weight and he was clearly becoming discouraged,” said Draelos. “However, when we did the BIA, it showed that his lean tissue mass had increased substantially, while his fat levels had decreased. His body was converting fat tissue to healthy lean tissue. Knowing this gave him the emotional boost he needed to stick with his weight loss program until the pounds started coming off."

Draelos said this technology allows the team of specialists at Draelos Metabolic Center to focus not only on helping patients to decrease body fat, but to work to increase muscle mass, which in turn boosts metabolism and ultimately improves the likelihood that weight lost will stay lost.

Draelos Metabolic Center in Edmond is a direct outgrowth of Dr. Draelos’ belief that patients deserve both specialized and the most advanced medical care in dealing with metabolic diseases, including obesity.

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