Midlife health tip; purchase a modern bathroom scale

You may have heard the business phrase"It's what you inspect, not expect, that matters." This concept is applicable to dieting as well. With 46% of adult American women and 33% of men (source: CDC via WSJ) trying to lose weight on a diet, being able to track one's weight is paramount. But as any dieter knows, when the first pounds drop off the question becomes were those fat cells or just water loss? Worse, if the weight remains the same despite working out, you may wonder whether you are adding healthy lean muscle mass or are all of those high-protein shakes at the gym just adding to your fat stores?

Fortunately, today's dieters, health enthusiasts, and anyone training for a sporting event can purchase any number of sophisticated bathroom scales for moderate prices that help with these questions.

These scales are not your typical bathroom scales that tell you your weight. From the WSJ story referenced above:

Newer digital scales, ranging in price from about $30 to more than $100, display body fat percentage, hydration level, muscle mass, bone mass, the amount of fat on your belly, and how many calories you can eat daily without gaining. Some even give you a "physique rating" ranging from "very muscular" to "obese."

The scales use a technique called "bioelectrical impedence analysis," or BIA, which involves sending a painless, low-level electric current through your legs and measuring the resistance the body provides. Since muscle conducts electricity better than fat, it's possible to use a scientific formula to calculate the percentage of fat and muscle. You input your age, gender, height and, on some models, your activity level.

Note that BIA is not perfect and the accuracy of these devices can vary 5% or more. However if you weigh yourself under similar conditions each time the error should be in the same direction so you should have a pretty good idea of what is working or not in your weight loss regimen. (Many professionals recommend that you make a practice to weigh yourself in the morning before you've eaten or exercised.)

[External link to Tanita scale on Amazon: Tanita BF680W Duo Scale Plus Body Fat Monitor with Athletic Mode and Body Water]