So this year I am committed to losing a few pounds. I?m not sure what?s gone wrong every other year I?ve tried to lose a bit of weight for the summer; I?m sure I was committed to those diets too; but they always seemed to just peter out after an unsuccessful few weeks (or sometimes days).
However this time I am enlisting the help of professionals. After finding out about the Thalgo iPULSE 5.1 Slimming machine at Les Roches Spa I thought it could be my final hope. Over the years, like everyone else, I?ve tried numerous faddy diets. I?ve souped myself up, I?ve eaten Special K like it?s going out of fashion, I?ve joined gym after gym, I?ve signed up for marathons, I?ve power walked/fought/danced, I?ve even eaten like a cavewoman for a month – and yet I?m still not reaching my goal. So I decided to really invest in this treatment – and it?s quite expensive – however that made me all the more determined to stick to it and get results.
Thursday 26th May
It?s with a feeling of intrepidation that I turn up at Les Roches Spa for my first iPULSE treatment. I discuss with the therapist where my problem areas are; muffin top, thighs and the tops of my arms and she took down all my measurements so that over the next 3 weeks we can track my progress. The therapist attached the pads to my problem areas and the treatment was tailored especially for my body type and to help me reach my goals (which are quite simply to get slimmer!). The iPULSE machine combines 5 slimming technologies; for my first one the session focuses on breaking down fatty acids using ultrasound to reduce cellulite and also micro-currents which pulse through the pads to help with expelling fat and to tone the skin.
When the machine first came on we went through all the different intensity levels until we got to one which I felt was really doing a good job. So the brave ones can have the machine turned right up, blasting their pesky fat cells, whilst the more timid can opt for a lower level and go for the ?slow and steady wins the race? approach.
I chose to have it as high as I could tolerate; but because it goes in gentle waves, building up each time, I found that I could have it higher half way through the treatment which made me feel I was doing well (despite the fact the machine is actually doing all the work for me!)
Monday 30th May
Time for my second treatment. I get hooked up to the machine and put on a 30-minute session (I brought a book so I can relax whilst it works its magic). After my session I head to Bootcamp on the front near the hamburger stand, because combining the machine with exercise will boost its results and help with burning more fat cells, so I plan to go twice a week whilst I?m doing the treatments.
Wednesday 1st June
I?m really looking forward to my third session as my tummy is looking noticeably flatter. I have the pads turned up higher than usual as I?m building up a tolerance to them, which is exciting. My lovely therapist gave me a wonderful foot massage as I had the treatment which completely takes my mind off the new higher levels I have opted for.
Thursday 2nd June
My arms are actually tired and sore as if I have been to the gym. I feel like I?m beating the system!
Monday 6th June
I managed to stay away from alcohol all weekend. I?m halfway through my sessions and I really want to see results so I was designated driver over the weekend. I also took a look at the Thalgo Slimming Guide which Les Roches Spa gave me on my first session and read through their tips ont losing weight through healthy eating and I vow to give it a try for the remaining 10 days.
Thursday 9th June
After this session I bought the Thalgo Slim & Sculpt Expert Slimming & Firming cream and the Cellu-thighs gel which my Therapist has been using on my stomach and thighs after every treatment. I?ve noticed my thighs are much less dimpled and the skin is smoother so I?m keen to use that product at home everyday whilst I?m doing this, so I feel I?m really attacking that problem area! This is a ?no holds barred?, all out assault on my fat cells and I?m going to do everything I can to make it happen. I even dusted off my year?s membership card for the gym which has just been sitting on the side, and went for a 20 minute fast walk on the treadmill (I haven?t dared to weigh myself).
Sunday 12th June
I couldn?t fit in two treatments in the week, so I got a space conveniently on a Sunday to have my penultimate treatment. I was actually really looking forward to the time-out as you literally get to lie there and do nothing for the 30minutes if you choose to (which I did). My Therapist kindly turned the lights down and put on some music, and I just lay back and let the machine get to work blitzing all my fat cells. I chatted to my therapist about how my new healthy eating diet was going and she pointed me in the direction of the Thalgo Ocea Drain Detoxifying capsules which you just add to a small glass of orange juice once a day to help cleanse your system and eliminate your body and digestive system of toxins so that everything can work at it?s fat-burning best.
Wednesday 15th June
The final treatment and results day. I?m really worried that after all the hard work with my sensible diet and slogging it at Bootcamp, I won?t have lost any weight. For this session I move onto a new session on the machine which focuses on burning fatty acids and uses lots of muscular electrostimulation to help build muscle and re-shape my body. It?s a really different sensation to all the other treatments I?ve had and it definitely feels like it is doing some hardcore work on my problem zones. My therapist gives me a blissful arm and hand massage to take my mind off it, and the treatment whizzes by.
Results:
So Hooray Hoorrrrrrrray woo HOO! I lost half a stone over the three weeks and more importantly I lost 9.5 actual centimetres from my body! That makes this worth every single penny, and I?m so pleased.
Two weeks later and I?m still loving the results. I?ve started swimming weekly too, to try and maintain my new slimmer figure. I haven?t lost any more weight since the treatment, but I?m still half a stone down and no longer dreading having to cover myself up all summer. My clothes definitely all feel better on me and I?m still trying to find my old favourite pair of jeans to see if I can squeeze back into them. Fingers crossed!
