Most people, when starting their fitness journey, the first thing they do is step onto a scale. While the initial number provides a good starting point, the number does not tell you the complete picture. You could be losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time, and the scale may not show any movement. This is why a smart weight machine is a much better tool for gaining a deeper understanding of what your body is going through on the inside.

Omron believes that being healthy means having a great understanding of your body from the inside to the outside.

The Problem with Tracking Only Weight

A traditional weighing scale only measures one thing: total body weight. It is unable to distinguish between the different components of your body such as fat, muscle, bone, or water. Therefore, if you are working hard and the scale is not moving, it can be discouraging. You may think that your efforts are not giving any results when, in fact, they may be leading to improvements in your body shape and your health through the addition of muscle. Without a smart tool, you would have no way of knowing.

The Way Smart Scales Function

A smart weighing scale uses a technology called Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). It transmits an electrical charge that is very low and safe through the body to determine several health metrics by measuring how fat tissues, lean muscles, body fluids and bones all react differently to this current. You then receive good detail about some aspect of your health versus just the measurement of your weight on regular scales.

Key Metrics That Go Beyond Weight

Percent of Body Fat

By far the most beneficial number to monitor. Omron's body fat analyzer gives you a clear idea of how much body weight is comprised of fat versus lean tissue. It can therefore be an important tool in determining your likelihood of developing certain medical issues over the long-term and gauge how effective your exercise program is relative to what you're trying to accomplish.

Skeletal Muscle Mass

Did your workouts create more muscle? This number will tell you. Tracking your skeletal muscle mass over time will show you whether your diet and the way you exercise are working. This is especially the case with individuals who are focused on creating a lean, fit, strong body and need to know how they're progressing.

Level of Visceral Fat

This is the fat that lies directly underneath your organs inside your abdomen. This fat cannot be seen from the outside but can cause health issues (such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes). Omron's body fat scale measures your visceral fat, giving you a means of tracking this critical hidden health indicator.

BMI

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a simple way to measure your body weight in relation to your height. While on its own, BMI is not an accurate way to assess body fat, using it together with measurements of body fat and muscle can provide a more complete picture of your overall health.

Resting Metabolism

Resting Metabolism is the number of calories your body burns while you are resting. Understanding your resting metabolism allows you to make better choices about what to eat and how many calories you should consume to reach your desired outcome.

Body Age

Body Age is one of the most powerful motivators of all. The Omron body composition analyzer calculates your body age by using your results from your metabolism and muscle data. As people become more physically fit, they often notice that their body age decreases even if their actual weight doesn't change much.

How Omron is Making Positive Change Easier

Omron has been focusing on providing individuals with easy access to accurate measurement of body composition and physique using our smart scales, which wirelessly connect to the OmronConnect app. The OmronConnect app allows you to view the history of your health, visually display trends, and maintain profiles for multiple users within your household, while also connecting with the health apps you currently utilize.

Watching visceral fat diminish, muscle mass increase, and your overall "body age" decrease is much more motivating than focusing on one number from the scale.

Conclusion

Fitness progress is about much more than watching the number on a scale. Changes in body fat, muscle mass, and overall body composition often provide a more accurate picture of health improvement. A smart weight machine can help users track these important metrics and gain deeper insights into their fitness journey. By looking beyond weight alone, it becomes easier to stay motivated, make smarter health decisions, and achieve long-term wellness goals.

Explore Omron smart weighing scales and take a smarter approach to tracking your fitness progress.