Slimming Centres - To go or not to go

Many of us big ones have had experiences with slimming centres. I have had 3. Once when I was about 18 years old. My mother signed me up at MFB. In those days, they only had the "cold wrap" treatment. This is where you strip down to your underwear and they wrap freezing cold clothes soaked in some solution around every part of your body (except your face and neck)!. Then they put you in a small air conditioned cubicle for 45 minutes.

I remember those horrible days. I would be shivering and freezing for that 45 minutes. I would sit there and watch my fingers turn blue. Did it work? NO!

Then a few years later, after I started working, I again got disillusioned by the slimming centre adverts. Here, I decided to sign up with GG. This time, it was hot wraps and saunas. Did it work? NO!

Then 2 and a half years ago, about 6 months before my wedding, I decided to give it a try. Why you ask me? Well us insecure people never learn do we ?
So this time I signed up with MF. But this time, I combined it with a very very strict diet and exercise. Did it work? Yes! But only because I practically starved myself! I would go a few days a week purely on fruit juice the whole day. If i did that, then I would see a slight weight loss at the next session. If I don't, their machine will show that I put on weight.

So based on my three experiences, I realised one thing. The treatments don't do sh%t if you don't cut out everything bad - which basically means no carbs, no sugars, no fried foods. With the amount of food that they listed for us to cut off, you can lose the weight without having to go to the slimming centre in the first place!!!

Yes, some of the treatments are good. For example, at MF (the last one I went too), they use a couple of machines which simulate exercising and some which trigger an increase in your fat burning process.

But most of these centres paint such lovely pictures. Some ads say no pills, no exercise, do starvation blah blah. That is a bunch of crap. Because after they swipe your credit card; at your first session, the story is different. "Don't eat this, don't eat that, exercise 3 to 5 times a week, oh we have this good pills to help you burn fat faster!".

And what I hate most about these slimming centres?? They prey on your low self esteem. You may walk in to the centre thinking that you just need to lose 5kg but when you leave, you would feel really lousy about yourself and suddenly you need to lose 20kg! And what's more, at the time they are pitching you, they tell you "You need about 20 sessions to achieve your target". Then, halfway thru the course, they tell you that your fat is very stubborn so you need another 10 sessions. And at every session, the "consultant" will try to sell you their creams or their pills etc to use at home to "quicken" the fat loss process!


So my advise for those of you who are considering going to a slimming centre.
a. If you are swimming in money, then go ahead. It can be your added boost for your weight loss program but remember, if you don't diet and exercise, it doesn't work.

b. If you can't afford it but are thinking of sacrificing other things to pay for it, DON'T! It's not worth it. Just exercise 5 times a week and cut off the unhealthy food and you will lose the weight.

I'm not saying that slimming centres are bad. I'm not saying don't ever go to one. I'm just sharing my experiences with them. Maybe one of you have a better experience to share with us?

Cheers for today!