With summer just around the corner, everyone wants to be bikini ready, or at least shake off those extra kilos taken on over the winter. As is the case every year, sports clubs and gyms are packed out exactly three months before the summer. We can all agree that it’s better to have a healthy diet and exercise routine all year round in order to feel good in our own skin.
That said, for the latecomers needing a little boost to get them going, or those who don’t have the time to train, Peter and I have tried out three new methods which can help you get back into shape quickly and efficiently. From cryolipolysis to electrostimulation and not forgetting Emsculpt, we answer all of your burning questions in this article. Is it effective? Does it hurt? Is it expensive? Which method should you chose and, above all, does it work?
Emsculpt ..
A state of the art machine which sends strong electromagnetic signals to deeply stimulate the muscles. On paper, this new toy, straight from the US, promises to eliminate fat on the targeted areas as well as restoring shape and muscle tone after 4 sessions.
The protocol : There are 4 sessions to be done over 10 days. You can also do 4 more sessions several weeks after and one from time to time to keep it up. The first consultation allows you to define your needs, and which areas need to be treated, bearing in mind that with Emsculpt, you can work on your abs, ass and sometimes thighs. Most often, people use it on buttocks and abs.
How the session works : You strip down to your underwear and the practitioner attaches the pads on your abs or your buttocks, then slowly starts the power, increasing it gradually until the maximum. After that, you have about 30 minutes of fairly intense contractions.
Does it hurt ? The first session is the most uncomfortable, but it isn’t really so much that hurts as the fact that you aren’t used to the feeling of your muscles contacting in a super intense way! As for the other 3 sessions, they went super well for both Peter and I – we noticed a clear difference. It felt much better and our bodies were already used to it. So really, it’s just the first time that’s a bit of a surprise, then it’s all good.
Is it efficient ? Yes – if you have a healthy lifestyle with good diet and regular exercise. It can boost the body but can’t replace sport as muscles need to be taken care of regularly otherwise they disappear. ^^ The good thing is that, with Emsculpt, you don’t have to start from scratch so it’s perfect for getting back muscle tone after a period of inactivity, whether you have been lacking in time or motivation. Emsculpt stimulates muscle movement and you notice an improvement in tone on the area treated after 4 sessions. Having talked to lots of people who tried it, I noticed that those with extra weight or those who do less sport saw the best results, which come more quickly and are more obvious than people like Peter and I who are already in good shape and quite sporty, as our muscles are stimulated regularly. So, Peter and I will do 4 extra sessions to see a real difference and, as it happens, the protocol in the US is 6 to 8 sessions.
The price: It costs 450 per session, bearing in mind that you’ll need to do four. Yes, it’s quite expensive, like all cosmetic procedures. Whether it’s necessary for you, to help you get back into sport, is up to you. If you have complexes, or if you need a boost to tone up then go for it! Otherwise, 50 squats, 50 sit-ups and 50 burpees every day should do the job.
We do our sessions with Doc Plasqui at Arthestic , our fav aesthetic center in Paris (where I also get my peeling done) .But you can find the Emscult center near your location in this website .
Cryolipolysis
Cryolipolysis, best known as coolscuplting, is the destruction fat of using cold. Fatty cells and adipocytes are sensitive to low temperatures, and can’t resist cold generated by machines. So they are partially destroyed, then eliminated by the organism in the weeks following the treatment. On paper, cryolipolysis allows you to get rid of extra weight in specific areas, all without being invasive or painful. The areas which see the best results are love handles, the outer and inner thighs and the stomach.
>> This treatment is targeted at people with a “normal” weight, but with localized bulges (which don’t go away with sport, for example). However, like all of these techniques, coolsculpting cannot replace a healthy lifestyle and regular sport sessions
The protocol: Usually, 1 session is enough, but you can always go back for another if necessary. The practitioner will measure you, and look at which areas need to be treated, which varies from person to person, bearing in mind that if there is too much fat, it’s better to start with a healthy diet and come back later. If there is no fat, or very little fat, it’s advised to avoid treating that area to avoid distending the skin. For Peter, for example, it was a bit touchy because he has very little body fat. Though he did try in the end on his love handles as the practitioner found something to “freeze” there.
How it works : Once you have been measured, the areas that need to be treated are defined, 1 at a time, though several can be treated in the same day. Then a wipe with gel will be spread over your skin to protect it from the cold, before the pads are placed on top of the skin. Next, it’s time for a treatment of 45/60 minutes depending on how much fat there is. Peter did the love handles, and for this the pads suck up the skin, while I did the outside of the thighs, in which case the pads are placed on the skin but don’t suck. Once the time is up, the pads are taken off and the practitioner massages the “frozen” skin to increase circulation and loosen the fatty mass. After the suction, the skin forms a sort of lump, and it’s important to break it up and remodel the skin so that the fat cells can be properly evacuated.
Does it hurt ? Honestly? No… Peter didn’t feel anything and, as for me, it was a little but uncomfortable in the beginning, while it cooled down, but after that, the areas treated are completely anaesthetized and so you don’t feel anything. The same goes for the “massage” part. It didn’t hurt at all, even when I got the feeling back in my skin. Apparently, some people find the treatment painful, (or at least at the beginning) as well as during the massage. I suppose that it depends on the sensitivity of each person. I’m usually quite “soft” but I didn’t feel anything. In the days following the treatment I felt some light pains on the areas that were treated, a little bit like a bruise. Peter didn’t feel any pain but noticed some insensitivity on the zones that were frozen, but that didn’t long. You should drink a lot in the days after the treatment, as well as adopting a healthy food routine and do some massages to help the dead fat cells go away.
Is it effective ? Yes !! Ok It’s hard to say straight away as it takes 2 months to see the final result but I can already see the difference and so does Peter ! The little fatty I had on my tights when I was pinching my skin is gone as for Peter’s small handles. . As I was saying, massaging the frozen part is really helping the process so I did a slimming modelage at Martine de Richeville with manual palpating & rolling technique and the result is just awesome !! So far we are really happy about the results and it’s going to get better !
The price .. Each practitioner has different rates but where we did it, prices are quite ok and the doctor is good. It costs about 400 euros per zone with 2 pads, and 300 the second zone : www.cabinet-laser.fr
Electrostimulation / Mihabodytech..
Electrostimulation is different to the two previous treatments. It involves sending electrical pulses to the muscles to stimulate them as much as possible. On paper, a 20-minute session is the equivalent of 4 hours of sport… The mihabodytec allows you to work different muscle groups at the same time, and you see results quite quickly.
The protocol : You can do as many sessions as you want, limited to once a week. Ideally, the treatments should be coupled with a cardio-based activity like Hiit, running, boxing etc, as electrostimulation is above all a tool for strengthening muscle.
About the session : A coach puts all of the equipment in place, and guides and motivates you throughout the training session. You wear a kind of lycra suit, over which you wear a jumpsuit with the electrodes. The coach moistens the jumpsuit so that it’s conductive (if it’s not humid enough, it stings) and then you do 20 minutes of exercise, which includes push-ups and more. For the stimulation you start slowly, to get used to the feeling, then it increases progressively.
Does it hurt ? Honesty, in the beginning it’s a bit strange as the muscles move on their own… as it takes a little while to get used to it and it’s a lot harder than it looks! After 10 minutes, I was breathing like I had done a really intense activity and after my muscles really ached! Peter, on the other hand, didn’t feel any pain or muscle ache – as he is super sporty.
Is it effective ? Yes ! I did 2 sessions already and I love it ! It is great, especially for getting back your muscle tone…and given the muscle ache that I had afterward, I think it really worked, and I’m going to do sessions regularly, coupled with yoga or cardio. But the results are really encouraging.
The price : It varies, depending on the place but can expect to pay around 35 euros per session, or less if you opt for a package. The good news? The first session is free, which allows you to try it out. You can book your trial session on the Mihabodytech website , they have center everywhere 😉
Conclusion //
Voilà, there you have it! I think that, as I said before, these methods are great to get back in shape but we should see it as a complement for a healthy food and exercise routine. You can really see excellent results after just a few sessions, as the body regains muscle tone, you feel better, firmer and slimmer which is great as it can boost your confidence and help you to get back into a positive vibe and a better routine 😉
Translation @Hanna Ikin
