My Wife Told Me to Get My Body Checked. So I Did.

I spend a lot of time training, coaching, and telling people how important is to be fit.  When my beautiful wife, Ms. Nga Tran, wanted us to visit BodyStats with her and learn a little more about my own body, I thought:

Fair enough. Let’s see what’s going on with some real data.

BodyStats is a company out of Vancouver that helps you understand your body beyond what you see in the mirror or on the scale. They just opened a location in Toronto’s Liberty Village, it was very hard to get a booking but we finally managed and were very excited.

I went for three tests: 

1. DEXA scan - How much body fat I am carrying

2. Resting metabolic rate test - How many calories does my body burn at rest

3. VO₂ max test - And how good my cardio is
   
   1. DEXA SCAN - How fat am I?

The DEXA scan breaks down your body composition, including fat, lean tissue, and bone. You lie down while the machine scans you and takes about 8 minutes. Pretty straightforward.

As someone who trains Muay Thai and jiu jitsu, this is useful to me. We pay a lot of attention to weight in combat sports. What do you weigh now? What weight do you want to compete at? How many pounds do you need to lose?

But getting lighter is only part of the picture. I want to lose fat while keeping the strength and muscle I need to train. Having a starting point gives me something to compare with later, instead of just stepping on the scale and hoping things are going well.

Currently, I'm sitting at 21.1% body fat, or 32.8 lbs of fat, which puts me among the leanest 20% of men aged 40–49 in Canada, based on available body composition reference data.

2. RESTING METABOLIC RATE TEST - How much can I burn sitting on my ass?

For this test, you sit back, relax, and breathe through a mask while they measure how much energy your body uses at rest for 7 minutes.

That number doesn’t include everything I burn while training, coaching, or running around during the day. But it gives me a starting point when figuring out how much to eat.

For a fighter, I see the value in having that information when planning meals or working toward a weight goal.

My Resting Metabolic Rate was 1913 kcal/day RMR , putting me approximately 25% higher than most men my age.

3. VO2 MAX - How good is my cardio, really?

The VO₂ max test looks at how much oxygen your body can use when you’re working hard. You wear a mask and exercise on a bike or treadmill as the intensity goes up. The results also help identify training zones for your cardio sessions.

Anyone who’s done hard fight rounds knows that feeling when you’re completely exhausted, but there’s still plenty of time left on the clock. That’s when your cardio really gets tested. If your VO2 max is low, your body struggles to deliver enough oxygen to your working muscles, and you end up “gassing out.”

Knowing your VO2 max gives you a clear picture of your cardiovascular fitness and a measurable number to work toward. Instead of guessing how good your cardio is, you can track your progress, set a goal, and work on improving it.  

This test starts off with a warmup and gets really spicy around the 10 minute mark!  I pushed it hard and was feeling it hours after.  My VO₂ max came in at 65.3 mL/kg/min, putting me in the elite category for men of all ages.  At 42, it's pretty cool knowing my cardiovascular fitness is comparable to elite combat athletes, many of whom are much younger than me!  At this VO₂ Max, I'm ready for BJJ competitions.  For muay thai fight shape, you would want to be closer to 70.

WHAT DOES IT COST?

The Toronto pricing page listed:

• DEXA scan: $39.99
• DEXA scan with a consultation: $65.99
• Resting metabolic rate test: $74.99
• VO₂ max test: $74.99
• All three tests: $159.99

These prices are in Canadian dollars before tax. They also offer a $15 monthly subscription that includes one DEXA scan each month.

Their homepage was also advertising all three tests for $99 plus tax, so check that offer before booking. The two pages showed different package prices, and you’ll want to confirm what applies at checkout.

If you guys are curious about your numbers,  I would encourage you guys to go to see for yourself.  Hopefully it can help educate you a bit more and work more effectively, and efficiently towards your goal.

Keep grinding!

teamLEGACY #whatsyourlegacy

Site: https://www.bodystats.ca/

A delicious steak dish to reward myself afterwards.  @ParisSteaks in Liberty Village, Toronto.