The Importance Of A Body Composition Monitor Maintaining a fit and healthy body is more than just about weight. Here are the benefits for tracking your total body composition with an OMRON Body Composition Monitor. Body Fat Percentage While having too much fat may be unhealthy, having too little can be just as unhealthy. Tracking your body fat percentage lets you know you’re losing the “right” weight. Visceral Fat Level Visceral fat is found in the abdomen surrounding your vital organs. Since it’s not visible to the eye, it can go undetected. Excess of visceral fat may lead to high cholesterol, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Skeletal Muscle Percentage The more skeletal muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn. Why? Because muscle burns 22% of all calories – more than anything else. So, while dieting and exercise is important, maintaining or building skeletal muscle is important to prevent rebound weight gain and maintaining strength. Resting Metabolism Regardless of activity level, a minimum level of caloric intake is required to sustain your body’s everyday functions. Knowing your resting metabolism will help you properly plan your diet according to your weight loss or maintenance needs. Body Age Body age is calculated by weight, body fat percentage and skeletal muscle percentage to produce a guide to determine if your body age is above or below your actual calendar age. If above your calendar age, changes can be made to your body composition, fitness level and diet. Body Weight Still an important standard of fitness, especially in combination of other fitness indicators. Body Mass Index (BMI) BMI is a number calculated from your weight and height. Although it does not measure fat directly (like body fat percentage), it can be used as a screening tool to identify possible health concerns.