Discovering the details of your overall health through a body assessment can help you sketch out a plan for optimal wellness.

If you're like us you keep a mental log of how you feel and look, and oftentimes the number on the scale plays a major role in your opinion. The trouble is, weight is only a tiny part of the picture. To get an accurate, complete read of how healthy your body is, other factors—such as body fat percentage, metabolic rate, and bone density—must also be taken into account, which is where a spa body assessment comes in.

"The scale can be very misleading,"explains Mike Siemens, director of exercise physiology at Canyon Ranch Tucson. "For example, a person could weigh the same throughout their lifetime but be losing muscle mass and replacing it with fat."

During a body assessment, a doctor or an exercise physiologist uses a series of evaluations to analyze your precise physical makeup and fitness level so that you and the professional leading the assessment can discuss specific lifestyle modifications. "The benefit of these assessments is that they provide a very individualized plan that helps us move away from a one-size-fits-all approach,"says chiropractor Brad Crump, health services manager at Red Mountain Resort & Spa. In addition to enabling professionals to create personalized diet and fitness plans, body assessments also provide the markers necessary to track progress and give you a clear idea of how your body is responding over time to your efforts.

Although particularly useful for those trying to trim down and tone up, body assessments are also helpful for people within a healthy weight range who would like to achieve a specific fitness goal (say, running a marathon or returning to exercise after an injury). Notes Mary Horn, an exercise physiologist and nutritionist at Miraval Arizona, "The number on the scale is only the quantity of weight—not the quality."

WHERE TO FIND IT

More and more spas, especially those with a medical component, are offering body assessment services.

1. The Oaks at Ojai
Ojai, California

Body composition analysis is complemented by wellness training, stress management counseling, and other health and fitness services.
Cost: From $35, 30 minutes
Details: (800)753-6257

2. The Chopra Center
Carlsbad, California

Medical consultations blend Eastern and Western medicine and look at the physical, emotional, and spiritual elements of the self.
Cost: From $225, 75 minutes
Details: (888) 424-6772

3. Red Mountain Resort & Spa
St. George, Utah

A range of body composition, cardiovascular, and metabolic testing options are available.
Cost: From $30, 15 minutes
Details: (877) 246-4453

4. Miraval Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

Guests can choose a standard body composition evaluation or the Optimal Fitness Diagnostic, which includes a variety of tests and a customized lifestyle plan.
Cost: From $125, 30 minutes
Details: (800) 825-4000

5. Canyon Ranch
Tucson, Arizona; Miami Beach, Florida; and Lenox, Massachusetts

Advanced medical equipment is used to perform body composition and metabolic exercise assessments.
Cost: From $350, 100 minutes
Details: (800) 742-9000

6. Lake Austin Spa Resort
Austin, Texas

Offerings include mobility and stability assessments along with body composition analyses, fitness evaluations, and resting metabolic rate tests.
Cost: From $70, 25 minutes
Details: (800) 847-5637

7. The Cooper Institute
Dallas, Texas

Assessments focus on preventive medicine and include medical exams, cardiovascular screenings, nutritional consultations, and more.
Cost: From $1,800, 4 hours
Details: (800) 635-7050

8. The Raj
Fairfield, Iowa

Ayurvedic or concern-driven consultations (e.g., for allergies, infertility, menopause, etc.) help shape a plan that includes diet, exercise, breathing, and other self-care tips.
Cost: From $150, 30 minutes
Details: (800) 864-8714

9. The Standard Miami
Miami Beach, Florida

Options range from homeopathic consultations to preventive health sessions to pre-training assessments for athletes.
Cost: From $220, 60 minutes
Details: (305) 673-1717

WHAT TO EXPECT

Although the services included in a body assessment vary by spa and what the professional determines to be necessary, these are a few of the most common tests.

Medical History Consultation
Most body assessments begin with a one-on-one conversation about your health. Be prepared to discuss your diet, exercise habits, stress levels, medications, injuries, goals, and family health history.

Body Composition Analysis
Bioelectrical impedance or X-ray-based techniques are used to painlessly determine fat distribution, bone density, and lean muscle mass percentage.

Cardiovascular Testing
Small electrodes are attached to your body to monitor heart function during exercise.

Metabolic Evaluation
Your breath is monitored at rest and during exercise to track oxygen consumption, an indicator of aerobic fitness level.

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