{"id":12586,"date":"2021-06-28T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthylivinglondon.com\/?p=12586"},"modified":"2021-06-27T23:25:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-27T22:25:52","slug":"tried-tested-withings-body-cardio-scales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthylivinglondon.com\/nutrition-and-food-for-healthy-living-in-london\/tried-tested-withings-body-cardio-scales\/","title":{"rendered":"Tried & Tested \/\/ Withings Body Cardio Scales"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Withings Body Cardio scales <\/a>don\u2019t just measure your weight. They also measure your heart health. In fact, that\u2019s not all \u2013 they also give you a full body composition analysis. It\u2019s akin to having your own personal health advisor!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we start, however, it\u2019s time for a confession. I\u2019ve not had scales in the house since I was a kid. I\u2019m actually quite anti-scales. I only ever weigh myself when it\u2019s required, usually at doctor\u2019s appointments, although the more I think about this, the more this specific memory eludes me. Let\u2019s just say that it\u2019s a rare moment that I step onto scales. I\u2019m just not bothered \u2013 I think there\u2019s more to health than just weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Withings<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll put it out there right away \u2013 I\u2019m already a fan of the Withings family. I wear their Steel HR Sport <\/a>and use their Sleep Analyzer<\/a> to help me keep an eye on my sleep (which is shameful \u2013 I need to improve this!) and my dad (who used to be a doctor) has the ScanWatch<\/a>. So I know<\/em> how good their products are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting up the scales is quick, seamless and was so easy, that I can\u2019t even remember doing it. It takes minutes, if that, before they\u2019re ready to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what the Body Cardio measures:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Weight<\/strong> \u2013 as you\u2019d expect, you can change this to kg or stones and also have several different profiles on there. If you\u2019re like me, despite weighing myself at consistent times each day, your weight can fluctuate (between 67.5 and 62kg in one day!) it also shows you a weight trend, so you can see the bigger picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heart Rate<\/strong> \u2013 yes, you heard right. It measures heart rate at every weigh in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Body Fat %<\/strong> – this is measured using bio-impedance analysis. Which means that an electrical current (you can\u2019t feel anything, don\u2019t worry), is sent from your feet to the lower half of your body and back again. Because there\u2019s a difference in resistance between body and lean tissue when the electric current is passed through the body, the Withings Body Cardio uses this to measure body fat %. Excess body fat, especially around the stomach are at greater risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, or being at higher risk of stroke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Withings<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Withings<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Withings<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Muscle Mass %<\/strong> – this is an indicator of the weight of your muscles. And the more muscle mass you have, the more your body may burn more calories at rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bone Mass %<\/strong> – this is the weight of your bones. Especially as a female who\u2019s approaching 40, I\u2019m very conscious that my bones are getting thinner which can increase my likelihood of breaks and osteoporosis.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water %<\/strong> – this measures the total fluid in your body, both in cells and tissues. Measuring water is a great indicator of health and being wellbeing and dehydration can lead to an inability to focus, sports performance and general wellbeing. For those who are sports-led, measuring your water % before and after training can be a good indicator of how much you need to hydrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BMI <\/strong>\u2013 BMI stands for Body Mass Index and Withings chooses to include this, even though many agree that it\u2019s an outdated way to measure health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vascular Age<\/strong> \u2013 vascular age is a health metric which measures your arteries\u2019 age. It uses pulse wave velocity to assess the stiffness in your arteries and it does this by measuring the time difference between the blood being pushed out your art and the arrival of the blood flow in your feet. It\u2019s measured in comparison to other Withings Body Cardio users, and set against your chronological age, and has been developed with cardiology specialists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here\u2019s my measurements<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Overall, things are mostly fine, although it\u2019s definitely a wake-up call for areas which would be beneficial to improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n