As most of you know, I am not opposed to plastic surgery or rejuvenation procedures. I get asked often, ‘Isn’t Authentic Beauty about natural beauty,’ and the answer is not black or white. I believe in women feeling and looking their best whatever that is for you personally. There are many women I know who will never have one procedure and others who use those procedures once a month.
This is a personal choice, but what I believe most is that you MUST love yourself and embrace your own beauty for who you are and not think that any reduction in a line or in your fat is going to make you a better person or happier. That comes from within. That comes from owning your beauty. I like the saying, ‘You are not your body.’ Yes, you have a body, but you are not your body.
I also do not believe in buying into an unrealistic standard of beauty. If we look to the media to define our perception of beauty and compare ourselves to that, we will be miserable. We have to make comfortable responsible decisions about our health, our image and our bodies for ourselves. It is important to check in with your own thoughts and feelings and habits regularly to ensure that you are choosing and designing your own image rather than reacting to everything being thrown at you on a daily basis.
So, when I was asked to experience CoolSculpting, a non-surgical fat reduction treatment, I went through a range of emotions about it. Am I being authentic? Is this contrary to what I believe? And the answer was a resounding no.
What is CoolSculpting?
If stubborn, resistant fat around your hips and abdomen is keeping you from results you work hard for, you can now freeze it away with CoolSculpting at Buckhead Plastic Surgery. Despite efforts to do our best in the gym and kitchen, many of us still struggle with stubborn fat around the abdomen that won’t seem to go away no matter what you try. The problem is often subcutaneous fat—a layer of fat that lies just beneath the skin and is often highly resistant to traditional fat-loss methods.
While you can greatly reduce the amount of organ-surrounding visceral fat from your body, subcutaneous fat can often remain behind and cloud the results of your otherwise slim body. CoolSculpting is a great option for healthy men and women who are at a stable weight, but unable to reduce the last bit of fat with this non-surgical fat reduction treatment.
Can Freezing Your Fat Really Work?
I have a wonderful relationship with Buckhead Plastic Surgery, and Dr Larsen is someone we refer Authentic Beauty clients to for Botox as well as other procedures. Recently, he added an addition to his practice, Slim Studio and Luxe Med Spa. Slim Studio is offering Cool Sculpting and Luxe Med Spa is offering non-surgical medical facial rejuvenation procedures. So I decided to try out CoolSculpting to see if it would really work. Can freezing your fat really work? Well, the answer is a resounding yes! While reported results vary from person to person, this procedure worked incredibly well for me!
But to be honest, I had mixed expectations at first. I figured since I had this fat pocket forever it really wasn’t going away with a 3 hour non-surgical procedure. That said, I think the pictures speak for themselves, and apparently I won’t see the full result for 3 months.
My Personal Battles With My Stomach
I had my first child at 25 and I gained 85 pounds. I lost all but 10 pounds before I became pregnant and then I gained 85 with my second child. I have the kind of pregnancies that the second I am pregnant I am throwing up and nauseous. In my case, the ONLY thing I could eat for 9 months was bread. If I tried to not eat, I was sicker than sick, and when you are pregnant, your body is going to do what your body is going to do.
I went on to lose the weight, become a personal trainer and compete as a road cyclist for 10 years. I worked out 6 sometimes 7 days a week with intensive training. I maintained a low body fat percentage; however, despite all my training, I still had belly fat. I wished it would diminish; however, I knew that because I had stretched so much, that I have a long torso and I am genetically pre-dispositioned to this, I had to deal with the fact that it was staying.
I was never going to do a tummy tuck and after seeing traditional liposuction results (and the risks associated) that was not on my list of things to do. Now, as I approach 50, yes, I am 47 this year, I am enjoying my health and authentic self more than ever. I work out 5 days a week. I have been surfing 3 times this year and I feel the best about myself maybe ever and then I get a call that there is a non surgical chance I could possibly work on this area? I was intrigued for sure.
The Cool Sculpting Procedure
The procedure is pretty simple and again each person has a different experience. You can read reviews here, but you are hooked up to a machine which is like a giant vacuum cleaner. It sucks up your fat and then freezes it. It is held on your skin for about 40 minutes. When the device is removed, your skin and the fat underneath is frozen.
My medical technician, Michelle, then massaged the area. That was the part that wasn’t really comfortable. Some people report minimal discomfort and others a bit more. I was somewhere in the middle. I would say it hurt and I spent a few days afterwards pretty sore. What I said was, if it works, it will have been worth it and if it didn’t that would suck, but you won’t have to miss any time from work or your daily routine. You can simply continue living your life as the fat gradually disappears over the next several weeks following your treatment.
It is important to realize that CoolSculpting is a fat reduction procedure, not a weight loss procedure. The difference is that CoolSculpting actually reduces the amount of fat cells in your body, whereas when you lose weight, the fat cells merely shrink and then grow if you gain weight again. A consultation with Slim Studio will help to determine the best CoolSculpting treatment plan for you.
My Results?
For a few days after, I was sore. The area where it was frozen was still numb. I wore some Spanx which helped the discomfort. I worked the day after which I wish I hadn’t but within a few days I was feeling fine. I recommend to lie low, wear your Spanx and take some advil. Perhaps doing this on a Friday with a weekend to chillax might be the best option.
About 3 weeks after the procedure, I could tell in my clothes it was working. I could tell a noticeable difference around my waistline. My pants were loose. I still had numbness and again was reassured it was normal. Now that 6 weeks has passed, I feel confident to share my experience. I will not share any product or procedure with clients, family and friends that I have not tried or will not endorse. I am really blown away by the results and I am now happy to share.
Regardless, to read the full explanation of how cool sculpting works read here. To see before and after photos, click here and to talk to a Slim Studio Staff Member, click here.
And please join us at our Summer Soiree event on July 21st for incredible service specials and discounts and to enter into a drawing to win a free CoolSculpting session for yourself.
