Stuck on Your Weight Loss Journey? Try a DEXA Scan 

OCT 06, 2025

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If you’re struggling with weight loss, you’re not alone. Millions of people diet, exercise, and step on the scales every day — only to feel frustrated when the number won’t budge or doesn’t reflect their effort. 

 

The problem isn’t always your plan, but how you’re measuring progress. Scales and BMI can’t tell you whether you’re losing fat, protecting muscle, or tackling dangerous hidden fat.

 

A DEXA scan (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) changes that. As the gold standard in body composition testing, DEXA reveals exactly what’s happening inside your body during weight loss — showing fat, muscle, and visceral fat with precision. 

 

This clarity helps you break plateaus, avoid muscle loss, and finally see if your weight loss plan is really working.

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"After 250 hours of research, including interviewing five nutritionists and weight-loss experts, we found one consistent truth: successful weight loss depends on accurate data, not guesswork"

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Why Most People Struggle with Weight Loss

The Scale Won’t Budge

You step on the scales every morning, and the number stays the same. It feels like failure — but in reality, weight includes more than just fat. Water retention, glycogen storage, and even muscle gain can mask fat loss.

Losing Weight but Not Looking Different

Sometimes the opposite happens — the scales go down, but your shape hasn’t changed. Often this means you’re losing muscle as well as fat. This slows metabolism, making long-term fat loss harder and increasing the risk of rebound weight gain.

BMI is Misleading

BMI (Body Mass Index) is still used by many health professionals, but it can’t distinguish between fat and muscle. A lean athlete can be labelled “overweight,” while someone with high visceral fat but a “normal” BMI can appear healthy on paper.

The Plateau

Many people lose a few pounds at first, then hit a plateau. Metabolism adapts as you diet, and without understanding whether fat or muscle is being lost, it’s impossible to know what adjustments to make.

What is a DEXA Scan?

DEXA stands for Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Originally developed to measure bone density, it is now considered the gold standard for body composition analysis.

 

Here’s what makes it different:

  • It uses two low-dose X-ray beams to separate fat, muscle, and bone tissue with high accuracy.
  • The scan is quick, non-invasive, and safe — with less radiation than a short-haul flight.
  • Results are displayed as a colour-coded map of your body, alongside precise data on fat, lean mass, and visceral fat.
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"After months of dieting, I thought I’d failed because the scales barely moved. My DEXA scan showed I’d lost 3kg of fat and gained 2kg of muscle. It changed everything — I stopped second-guessing and kept going."

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How DEXA Solves Weight Loss Struggles

1. Fat Loss vs. Muscle Loss

When dieting, the risk is not just losing fat, but also muscle. Losing muscle lowers your resting metabolic rate (RMR), making it harder to burn calories and easier to regain weight later.

 

A DEXA scan shows you exactly how much fat and muscle you’ve lost (or gained), helping you fine-tune your plan to protect lean tissue.

2. Tracking Visceral Fat

Scales can’t tell you if you’re reducing visceral fat — the dangerous fat stored deep in the abdomen, around the organs. Visceral fat is strongly linked to heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.


DEXA is one of the few tools that can measure visceral fat directly. For many people, this is the hidden risk that needs to be addressed even if the scales look “fine.”

3. Fat Distribution Matters

Where you store fat is just as important as how much you have. For example, excess abdominal (android) fat is a higher risk factor than fat stored around the hips and thighs (gynoid).


DEXA breaks down fat regionally, so you can see not just how much fat you’re losing, but where you’re losing it from.

4. Motivation When the Scales Stall

One of the biggest weight loss killers is discouragement. If the scales aren’t moving, it’s easy to think nothing is happening and give up.


DEXA proves your effort is working, even if the scales don’t show it. For example, you might lose 2kg of fat while gaining 1kg of muscle — a fantastic result the scales alone would completely miss.

The Science Behind DEXA’s Accuracy

DEXA is widely used in both medical research and sports science because it is far more accurate than other methods:

  • Bioelectrical impedance (BIA scales): influenced by hydration, recent meals, and even skin temperature. Results can swing by several percent in a single day.
  • Skinfold calipers: depend on the skill of the person taking the measurements and only estimate subcutaneous fat, not visceral fat.
  • Tape measures & photos: useful but subjective, with no insight into fat vs muscle.

Studies have shown DEXA provides consistent, reproducible data — making it the gold standard for tracking body composition changes over time.

How to Use DEXA in a Weight Loss Program

  • Baseline Scan – Find out your starting body composition (fat %, lean mass, visceral fat).
  • Adjust Plan – Use the data to fine-tune your diet and workouts. If you’re losing muscle, increase protein or resistance training. If visceral fat is high, focus on aerobic conditioning.
  • Re-test Every 8–12 Weeks – See whether you’re losing fat and protecting muscle. This timeframe is long enough to see meaningful change but short enough to stay accountable.
  • Long-Term Tracking – Maintain results, prevent rebound, and measure progress objectively rather than emotionally.

Combining DEXA with Other Tests for Weight Loss

While DEXA gives you the what, other tests show you the how. At Telomyx, we combine DEXA with:

  • RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate Testing): to find out exactly how many calories your body burns at rest, removing guesswork from calorie targets.
  • VO₂ Max Testing: to determine your personal fat-burning heart rate zones, helping you train smarter and burn more fat efficiently.

Together, these tests provide a 360° roadmap for sustainable fat loss.

Book a DEXA Scan Now

FAQs

Is a DEXA scan safe?
Yes. The radiation dose is extremely low — less than you’d get on a short flight. It is considered safe for adults, though not recommended during pregnancy.

 

How often should I get a DEXA scan while losing weight?
Every 8–12 weeks is ideal. This allows enough time for measurable changes while keeping you accountable and motivated.

 

Can a DEXA scan help me avoid yo-yo dieting?
Yes. By tracking fat and muscle separately, DEXA helps you avoid muscle loss that often leads to slower metabolism and rebound weight gain.

 

Will it show fat loss even if the scales don’t change?
Absolutely. That’s one of its biggest benefits — showing hidden fat loss or muscle gain that scales can’t reveal.

Book your DEXA Scan today

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