Key points
- An InBody scan shows what your weight is made of: fat, muscle and water.
- On GLP-1 medicines, some weight lost can be muscle. We track it so we can protect it.
- Seven key measurements, from body fat to visceral fat and muscle in each region.
- Scans take about a minute, at our Nariman Point clinic.
Why we measure more than weight
Your weight is one number. It can't tell you whether you've lost fat, muscle or water. On any weight-loss plan, including GLP-1 medicines, some of the weight lost can be lean mass, which includes muscle. In the main trials of semaglutide and tirzepatide, roughly a quarter to two-fifths of the weight lost was lean mass.
Muscle matters. It keeps you strong, supports your blood sugar and helps your body burn energy at rest. That's why, at Lean Life, we use InBody body-composition analysis to follow how your body changes through your weight-loss journey, so your doctor and dietitian can act early if you start losing muscle.
Why we use InBody
- It tells fat from muscle. A normal scale can't. If you're losing muscle, we see it early and change your plan.
- It shows where you're losing. Separate readings for your arms, legs and trunk, plus the visceral fat around your organs.
- It's quick and simple. You stand barefoot and hold two grips for about a minute. No needles and no radiation.
- It makes progress comparable. The same machine at every visit gives you a reliable trend, not one-off numbers.
What the machine looks like
An InBody analyser is a standing unit about the height of a person. It has a platform with metal foot plates, two hand grips on cables, and a screen that shows your results. There are eight touch points in all: two under each foot and two in each hand, which is how it measures your arms, legs and trunk separately.
Illustration of a standing body-composition analyser
What an InBody scan measures
| Measurement | What it tells us | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| Body fat percentage and fat mass | Track fat loss rather than just total weight loss. | Falling steadily |
| Skeletal muscle mass | Check that you keep your muscle as you lose weight. | Holding steady, or a small fall |
| Visceral fat | Estimate the fat stored around your internal organs. | Falling, ideally to level 9 or below |
| BMI and body weight | Follow your overall weight trend. | Falling at a safe pace |
| Body water | Track changes linked to hydration. | Stable; sudden drops can mean dehydration |
| Basal metabolic rate (BMR) | Estimate the calories your body uses at rest. | Kept up by keeping muscle |
| Segmental body composition | See how muscle and fat are spread across your arms, legs and trunk. | Muscle kept across all regions |
InBody measurements are estimates based on bioelectrical impedance. Your doctor reads them alongside your health history and blood tests.
How the scan works
You stand barefoot on the InBody device and hold its hand grips for about a minute. It passes a very small, painless electrical current through your body and estimates fat, muscle and water from how the current travels. You get a printed report straight away, and your doctor or dietitian goes through it with you.
How to prepare for your scan
- Come before a meal, or at least 2 hours after eating.
- Use the toilet just before the scan.
- Avoid exercise, a sauna or a hot shower for a few hours before.
- Wear light clothes and remove metal jewellery and watches.
- Try to scan at a similar time of day each visit, so results are comparable.
Who shouldn't have an InBody scan
Tell us before your scan if you have a pacemaker or another implanted electronic device, or if you're pregnant. In these cases we track your progress in other ways, such as waist measurement and blood tests.
What we do with your results
- If muscle is falling: your dietitian raises your protein and your plan adds strength exercises. Your doctor may slow the dose increase.
- If fat isn't falling: we review your food, activity, sleep and dose together.
- If body water drops sharply: we check for dehydration, which can come with nausea or vomiting.
- If visceral fat is high: we use it as a target, because it links closely to diabetes, fatty liver and heart disease.
Read more about visceral fat, keeping muscle on GLP-1 medicines and how much protein you need.
How often you'll be scanned
You have a baseline scan before you start, then scans at your regular reviews so you and your doctor can see the trend. Scans are done at our Nariman Point clinic in Mumbai.
Questions
What is an InBody test?
A quick, painless scan that estimates your body fat, muscle, visceral fat and body water using a very small electrical current.
Is an InBody scan accurate?
It gives good estimates and is very useful for tracking change over time, especially when you scan under the same conditions each visit.
Do GLP-1 medicines make you lose muscle?
Some of the weight lost can be lean mass, as with any weight loss. Enough protein, strength exercise and a steady pace of loss help you keep it.
Where can I get an InBody scan with Lean Life?
At our clinic at Tulsiani Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai, as part of your programme.
References
- Wilding JPH et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021
- Jastreboff AM et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1). N Engl J Med 2022
- Mozaffarian D et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, American Society for Nutrition, Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society. 2025
- InBody India. What is visceral fat and why it's more dangerous than you think
