Sure, you can jump on the scales and track weight loss (or gain)—but this method is limited. The same applies to BMI—these measurements cannot tell the difference between lean and fat mass [1] and do not validate that your training, nutrition, or recovery programs are working correctly.

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Other methods, such as DEXA scans (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry)—often considered the gold standard of body composition measurements—reveal additional data such as fat mass, muscle mass, bone density, and water weight [2].

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These insights allow you to accurately track increases in muscle mass, decreases in fat mass and body fat, and overall, provide a much more transparent and better picture of your overall health.

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But there’s only one problem: DEXA scans are not exactly accessible. So that’s why we created the Spren body composition analysis tool. Measure your body fat, muscle mass, and other key metrics at home by snapping a selfie. It’s that simple.

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Read more about Spren and how it can help you validate your nutrition, fitness, and recovery programs below. 

What is Spren?

Spren is a body composition analysis tool that uses your smartphone camera, machine learning algorithms, and computer vision to provide you with an accurate body composition reading.

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After each scan, the Spren app calculates and provides you with numerous key biomarkers, including:

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• Body fat %
• Fat mass
• Lean mass
• Android fat
• Gynoid fat
• Resting metabolic rate

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If you want to find out more details on each biomarker, you can read our blog post on body composition analysis: what is it and why is it important—here we dive into each biomarker with key definitions. 

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The insights Spren provides give you a more holistic view of your health. Instead of a number on a scale, you can see exactly how much extra fat you’re carrying and how much muscle mass you have, and more importantly, you can monitor these changes to stay on track with your health and fitness goals, whatever they look like for you.

Use data to track your progress and increase motivation 

Whether you’re trying to lose weight and are not seeing any results, or maybe you’re trying to pack on the pounds and gain muscle, we know how demoralizing it can be to see little to no progress.

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You show up at the gym day after day, you’ve started a new diet, and you’re getting plenty of sleep. But still: no progress.

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Progress when it comes to changing your body composition is slow—you can’t see all of the changes. For example, while you may have lost weight, you might also gain a little muscle mass. A regular set of scales will tell you you’re the same weight as before. This is extremely deceiving, and although you’re making progress, it’s difficult to measure! 

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Understanding how your body changes is vital—it allows you to track your progress and see results to stay motivated.

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Instead of weighing yourself once a week and seeing numbers that mean virtually nothing, you can perform a body composition scan showing exactly how your body has changed and continues to change.

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Furthermore, scales do not show water mass—this is how much water your body is holding. If you’re a little bloated, you might weigh more because you’re retaining water. This prevents false readings and provides a more accurate picture of your overall health.

Confidence is key when adopting new habits

Choosing to follow a new diet, fitness regime, or even recovery program can be daunting. Not knowing if these changes are working can knock your confidence and result in you breaking your new habits before seeing any real results.

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Think about it: how many times have you switched diets or gone to the gym, seen no results, and then quit?

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The problem is a lack of data which inadvertently leads to decreased motivation. 

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You don’t need to be a tech and numbers geek to understand the data. But knowing how your body adapts to new lifestyle changes and training provides you with the confidence to stick with your new habits. 

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You can accurately measure your progress, no matter how small—it’s about those small wins that compound into big results.

Adapt your training and nutrition to achieve the results you want

Changing your body composition can be daunting. Whether you’re trying to lose weight to get the body you want or trying to gain muscle mass, there’s a lot of guesswork—how many calories to eat, how often to workout, and how much sleep to get, for example.

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It can take weeks to see physical results—this is often demotivating and stops many people in their tracks. “It’s just not working, so why should I stick with it?” 

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A body composition analysis tool such as Spren enables you to adapt your training and nutrition as needed to achieve your desired results.

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For example, the resting metabolic rate biomarker provides a more accurate indicator of how much food you should eat. Your body fat percentage shows you how much fat you’re carrying, and other metrics such as fat mass and muscle mass enable you to monitor progress to the exact pound of body weight.

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To better illustrate how effective Spren is, let us provide you with an example… Let's pretend you’re looking to pack on muscle mass to increase size. Naturally, you need to eat in a calorie surplus—a higher number of calories than you burn. Eating too many calories in your surplus leads to unwanted fat mass gain and increased body fat.

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Spren can help you track these increases in body fat—paired with general weight gain to see if you’re eating too much or too little. This allows you to make changes to your nutrition, such as reducing your calorie intake slightly to maximize muscle gain while limiting fat gain. 

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The same principles can obviously be applied to weight loss, too.

Why Spren? 

So, the big question: why Spren? Spren is an affordable, hardware-free, accurate body composition scan that can be done anywhere using your smartphone camera. The results are reliable and help you track and validate that your nutrition, fitness, and recovery programs are working.

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Ultimately, Spren helps you achieve your health goals. Whether you’re looking to pack on muscle while minimizing fat gain or you’re looking to lose weight in a safe and healthy way, Spren can help you achieve your goals.

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Essential insights make it easier than ever to access a real picture of your health, allowing you to stay motivated toward your goals.

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Do you want to try Spren? Download the app today and try your first body composition scan from your smartphone. 

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FAQs

How much does Spren cost?

Spren is available for a small monthly subscription (with annual plan discounts), providing you with similar insights to DEXA scans but with added convenience and at a cheaper cost.

How does Spren compare to DEXA scans?

Spren provides the same insights as the gold standard method (DEXA), but with Spren, you can do the test yourself, and it’s more cost-effective. Aside from that, Spren does not measure bone density. 

Why is validity important for body composition?

If your body composition results are not valid and reliable, then it will be difficult to track your progress accurately. This can lead to a lack of motivation or may cause you to change certain lifestyle habits that did not need to be changed.

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References:

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1. Buss, J., 2014. Limitations of body mass index to assess body fat. Workplace health & safety, 62(6), pp.264-264.

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2. Shepherd, J.A., Ng, B.K., Sommer, M.J. and Heymsfield, S.B., 2017. Body composition by DXA. Bone, 104, pp.101-105.