Another way to keep your body in good shape

Debbie A. Lubis, Contributor, Jakarta

As people's intake of fatty, sugar-laden and salted food continues to rise, obesity has become a major threat, especially for women.

Recent research conducted in America, which studied 115,000 women, shows that those who are obese will be twice as likely to suffer heart attacks and angina. Being obese also causes women to lack self-confidence.

Threats of disease and death have caused many women to fear being overweight and try their best to keep their body fit and in good shape. No wonder many flock to slimming and body care centers that offer various packages to cater for such needs.

Madeline Beauty Center, Impressions Body Care Center, and Marie France Bodyline are some in Jakarta that offer such packages.

Among those who have benefited from these programs are talented singer Kris Dayanti and noted TV star Dian Nitami who have successfully reduced and maintained their slender figures after giving birth.

"Thanks to Impressions, I am more self-confident, on the screen and in my daily life. I got my figure through slimming activities; not by liposuction, through the insertion of gold, or injections of silicone, as charged by many parties," Kris, a mother of two, said.

For Dian Nitami, joining a slimming program at Marie France Bodyline for three months, helped her reduced her weight to 58 kilos from 77 kilos.

Impressions offers a weight loss program without chemical medicines, injections, cold wraps, or sweaty thermals. There is no strict diet or excessive sports. Clients lose weight by discharging toxic substances and metabolic residue from the body (detoxification), weight and inch loss programs and body contouring to retighten flabby skin.

The clients usually take Supplement II that contains 11 types of ingredients that naturally depress appetite and help the body to dissolve fat and "Slender Herbs" that eliminate cellulite, enhance blood circulation, and decrease liquid accumulation.

At Madeline Beauty Center there are no specially proscribed foods or activities for clients who should eat "normal, healthy diets".

"Visible results may be seen after four treatments at the center when 2-3 kilograms are lost after the first week," says the center's Dr. Robert Vanderelst.

Madeline's body slimming package is especially tailored for overweight and post-maternal women whom plan to slim down. The treatment starts with the measurements of weight, height, age and a notes on habits before and after each treatment.

Then, women have a body wrap with marine active ingredients which acts efficiently with long-lasting results on excess fat, due to the combination of laminaria, fucus algae and sea water. Laminaria algae is rich in minerals and regulates lipolysis of fat cells while the alginic acid moisturizes and helps eliminate toxins in the body.

The next step is to have entire body covered with algae gel and slimming cream and a light massage that is followed by more body wrapping for 30 minutes. After this, Infra Red therapy for 20 minutes will burn off the fat without damaging the skin.

The next step is to have a body scrub in luke-warm water using moisturizing cream to further burn body fat.

"We recommend to take a package of 10 treatments on a weekly basis. The cost for slimming package is Rp 6.5 million for 10 treatments with two treatments for free," said Vanderelest.

The center also offers diet pills to control appetite, which should be taken once a day in the morning after breakfast.

"Slimming injections are also recommended to speed up the slimming process with high ascorbic acid and argine that has the properties for fat burning capabilities". Slimming injections costs Rp 495,000 (about US$60) per shot and a bottle of diet pill is Rp 300,000.

Besides loosing weight, it is also crucial for women to do the firming treatments in a bid to rid the body of cellulite, wrinkles, stretch marks and flabbiness.

Madeline Beauty Center's firming treatments reduce and prevent swelling in legs, improve blood circulation, stimulate active cellular exchange, and facilitate active ingredient penetration (osmosis).

Meanwhile, at Marie France Bodyline, requires a client to have a prior consultation before taking a slimming or body weight program. During the consultation, a medical expert analyzes the client's needs, lifestyle, and targets.

"The packages will target the client's needs -- whether they need weight loss, firming, cellulite loss or even just improving their overall wellbeing", says Tania Winata of Marie France Bodyline.

Marie France provides doctors and nutritionists to ensure clients achieve their ideal weight safely and effectively. Marie France Fat Mobilization System and firming treatment use 100 percent natural methods, without pills, injections, strenuous exercise or strict diets.

By wrapping certain parts of the body that have excessive fat with an elastic bandage soaked in particular ingredients, clients can burn accumulated fat and slenderize arms, tummy, thighs, and lower legs for 30 minutes.

"The cost and length of treatment for each package depends on the client's needs and objectives. So, they usually differ from client to client," Tania said.