I recently attended a networking meeting and found myself with a group of ladies talking about body wraps. They were excitedly telling me about another personal trainer who was promoting body wraps and one of the ladies said she had lost several inches in her first body wrap session.
Body wraps have been around for years. However, have you ever heard of a doctor recommending them or any credible health organizations promoting wraps? No - but what surprised me in this conversation was that another personal trainer was promoting them. For me, if you are a certified personal trainer, you should have the education and knowledge to know that body wraps are just another one of the "quick fix" gimics that appeals to individuals wanting to lose weight.
There is no credible scientific research by government organizations that verifies that body wraps produce long term results. The truth is body wraps do not shrink fat cells or burn body fat - no matter what type of wrap that is used or what you are wrapped in. Fat can only be lost with a caloric deficit from the reduction of food intake and an increase in activity or a combination of both.
Body wrap companies will promote that you will lose inches after each session. Yes, you can lose inches but it is not fat. It's water weight and fluid and the results are very temporary. The inches will come back in days or even hours as soon as you rehydrate yourself.
Other claims made for body wraps include detoxification, improved circulation, tighter and firmer skin. Most health and fitness researchers as well as government agencies will tell you these claims are debatable.
Wraps might take off some inches and water weight but the results are not permanent. The only way to take off fat and inches is to cut back on your calories - by making healthy food choices and/or burning calories through increased activity and exercise.
Lesson learned here - if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!
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