How Often Should You Do an InBody Scan?

Understanding the Right Cadence

For most people, infrequently is best — about once every 1 to 3 months.

Body composition doesn’t change drastically week to week, so scanning too frequently can create more confusion than clarity. Normal fluctuations in water retention, digestion, and glycogen levels can easily skew results in the short term.

One Redditor summed it up well: “A good cadence is 1 month” — because your body simply won’t change that much in just 7 days. Others echoed the same advice, warning that obsessing over weekly readings can become counterproductive.

What the Experts (and Gyms) Recommend

InBody’s own general guidance suggests doing a scan about every 3 months for most people. Many gyms follow this same recommendation as a standard part of their wellness programs.

Some experienced users even stretch the interval to every 6 months, especially if their goal is to track big-picture progress. Over a longer timeframe, changes are more visible and less likely to be noise.

When to Scan More Frequently

If you’re following a focused fat-loss or muscle-gain program, monthly or bi-monthly scans can help you spot long-term trends. In that case, it makes sense to check in every 4–8 weeks to ensure your program is on track.

But even then, don’t get caught up in the small shifts. One Orangetheory coach pointed out that even month-to-month changes can be tough to interpret. In most cases, it’s better to zoom out and look at overall patterns instead of obsessing over small deltas.

Important Tip for Women

If you’re scheduling a scan and menstruating, consider waiting until after your cycle. Hormonal fluctuations can cause temporary water retention, which may inflate body fat readings and skew your results.

As one user put it bluntly: “Females, don’t do it around your special friend. Body fat is higher that week.” A little timing awareness can make your data a lot more consistent.

Final Takeaway