MEGA

EASY AS 1-2-3

The tried-and-tested Emsculpt gives you a toned physique with minimal effort

- By MARELLA RICKETTS

Ihave no time to workout,” many of us might have uttered to ourselves at one point in our lives. While a healthcons­cious individual would not allow themselves this excuse too often, there are times when your busy schedule can get in the way of a quality workout. Now that summer is at its peak, the pressure to stay in tip-top shape is even more tangible. Thankfully, there are painless treatments that exist to help you with that.

A favorite among clients, the Emsculpt at the Belo Medical Group is truly one of a kind. As a non-invasive, painless treatment, it helps shape and tone muscles in areas such as the abdomen and buttocks. Because there is no downtime, this treatment is perfect for those with a busy schedule. When I was given the opportunit­y to try it before a beach trip, how could I say no?

“What makes the Emsculpt different is that it does more than simply address the superficia­l fat under the skin or to address only the tightening of the skin,” starts Dr. Vicki Belo. Her partner Dr. Hayden Kho continues to explain this, adding, “In order to achieve a more contoured figure, we need to work on the skin, the superficia­l and visceral fat and the muscles. The Emsculpt does this effectivel­y to give you toned abs or to give buttocks a firmer, rounder appearance. Recently, it has been cleared for the arms and legs, too.”

According to both doctors, the treatment uses HIFEM ( High Intensity Focused Electromag­netic) technology that causes your muscles to contract as if you were in the middle of a workout. Except that in this case, it uses contractio­ns that aren’t achievable during a normal exercise— a 30-minute session is said to be equivalent to doing 20,000 sit-ups.

On the day of my Emsculpt appointmen­t, I found myself feeling a combinatio­n of

curiosity, nervousnes­s and excitement— mostly due to the fact that I would technicall­y be working out with minimal effort. As expected, a paddle-like device was strapped on my body area of choice—my abdomen, in this case—while a machine induced muscle contractio­ns. What I did not expect, however, was the intensity of these contractio­ns. After I was confident enough to go a few levels higher, I soon found myself getting slightly tired, as if I were doing ab workouts myself. While the treatment wasn’t painful, there was that cramp-like sensation. After half an hour, the treatment was over and I found my stomach a little sore, but it there was that satisfacti­on in knowing your muscles have been working.

Of course it crossed my mind whether or not the treatment could replace an actual workout. “If you need to lose weight, then you have to do cardio. But if you’re already in your ideal weight and just don’t have the right silhouette or tight muscles, the Emsculpt is for you,” says Belo when questioned about this.

Interestin­gly enough, Belo shares that many men undergo the treatment as well. “Many men who hate doing sit ups come to our clinic to do the Emsculpt,” she says. “The most common area for them is the abdominal area, since they want to tighten it. For women, it is the abdomen, but also the buttocks, arms and thighs.”

“People usually see the results after the third treatment. For optimal results, you should do it once a week for five weeks straight. After that, you can simply maintain it with exercise and go every once in a while,” says Belo. While lots of individual­s would certainly flock to the clinic to undergo the treatment before a beach trip, the Emsculpt should come with some preparatio­n and maintenanc­e. Nothing ever comes so easy, after all.

IT DOES MORE THAN SIMPLY ADDRESS THE SUPERFICIA­L FAT UNDER THE SK IN OR T O ADDRESS ONLY THE TIGHTENING IN” OF THE SK

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Confidence is key, but a little help in the slimming department can’t hurt CUT O U T The latest slimming treatment promises noticeable results
BODY READY Confidence is key, but a little help in the slimming department can’t hurt CUT O U T The latest slimming treatment promises noticeable results

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