One Year Later

In May 2023 I had a DXA scan and it revealed some alarming facts about my body. I had been slacking off exercising and eating properly since I had re-injured my left knee near the end of 2022. It was a convenient excuse for the lack of exercise, but not for the eating habits.

I was up to 180lbs at one point early in 2023, and was not looking or feeling my best. However, I was not prepared to do anything about it until I had the DXA scan. It was the perfect wake up call for me.

First, it showed that I had too much visceral fat, and in the worst place on my body. How much visceral fat is too much? Any. And for men to have it in the abdomen is the absolute worst place - it surrounds organs and can lead directly to various cancers. 

Second, and more shocking, it revealed low bone density in my spine. Bone density decreases as we age, but I had no idea I was at risk for some of the worst case scenarios of osteopenia and osteoporosis. 

Finally, it showed not great lean tissue volume. Muscle, in other words. I was above average, but just barely. For someone who purported to be in shape, that was more embarrassing than anything.

Conveniently, the solution to all three of those problems was the same: more exercise and better diet. I immediately began to up my protein intake and that quickly began to shave the pounds. Filling up on protein made me less hungry for crap food. I ate lots of healthy carbs and fats but mostly tried to get over 120 grams of protein per day and stay under my target calorie count.

I began a serious approach to weight training - spending time each week lifting heavy on top of my usual workouts. I added rucking to my week as well - carrying weight on my back should help build the bone there. And any weight training triggers bone growth throughout the body anyway.

I have been solidly in the 165-68 pound range for months now. I’m eating better and generally being healthier in my lifestyle. Getting plenty of sleep, taking off days when my body needs it and staying flexible along with gaining muscle.

Last week I went back for a follow-up scan, one year later. I was nervous - I assumed it would be a good result, but there was always the chance that nothing I had done had affected anything. 

I needn’t have worried. Everything was better. See the red and green lines on the image above? “V for victory” is what they call it. Red is fat going down, green is muscle going up.

Visceral fat - good as gone.

Bone density in the spine - increased.

Lean tissue volume - increased. 

There is still work to do, but it is nice to have empirical evidence that what I have been doing is working. All the books and podcasts and articles I’ve consumed on the subjects of health, aging and overall wellness were right. Exercise and healthy eating go a long way to helping us live better.