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I have to share with you my latest lady crushes. It’s all well and good to admire actors and celebs and be jealous of their amazing wardrobe (note: they get 99% of it free), social life, boyfriend etcetera BUT why not admire those who are doing incredible things in the world of wellness, helping other people and basically showing us how amazing life can be?

Especially when they look amazing (a testament to the results gained from what they do) and are constantly putting positive energy back into the universe – getting a little hippie here!

ENTERRRR… my two latest yoga obsessions – Tara Stiles & Kathryn Budig!

1. Tara Stiles

Impossibly gorgeous and an ex-model, Tara has an approach to yoga which has been described as “unconventional” and she has received some criticisms for not sticking to the traditional style of any one yoga practice. She advocates yoga for EVERYONE and does away with sanskrit terms (eg. Savasana, Gomulkasana etc), instead choosing to use the simplest terminology such as “lower back” or “pigeon pose”.

Tara also has an incredibly interesting and frequently updated Youtube Channel, which I may have become slightly addicted to! She is gorgeous, but unintimidating in her videos, with her easygoing personality and “just one of the guys” vibe.

She founded the school Strala Yoga in New York and I would love, love, love to go there one day!

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2. Kathryn Budig

She’s been described as ‘yoga’s first supermodel’ and with gorgeous glowing skin, shiny blonde hair and a beaming smile it’s not hard to see why. But it’s Kathryn’s devotion to an outside cause that most impresses me.

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Poses for Paws is an initiative started by Budig and a friend, to raise money through yoga classes for dog shelters and organisations that help to find our gorgeous furry woofballs loving homes. Their current focus if the ‘Beagle Freedom Project’ (inspired by the love of her very own beagle).

Most people wouldn’t know this, but Beagle’s are one of the most popular choices for animal testing labs, due to their gentle and forgiving nature and non-aggressiveness towards lab techs (the same ones performing tests on them). Absolutely horrific stuff.

I recommend this video about the Beagle Freedom Project, it’s very interesting – prepare to weep a few tears, it makes me want to devote my life to saving these guys. They are so beautiful, and even after living in a lab cage for their whole lives they’re still willing to wag their tails, and seeing the dogs in the video run around on the grass for the first time is equal parts devastating and beautiful at the same time.

So, two beautiful yogis, both doing wonderful things – have you heard of either of these two ladies before?

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥

I’m a lazy, overweight exercise-avoider. I have no excuse beyond a crippling dependence on cake, and in the last year, I’ve been doing my best to try to get on top of this situation. There have been ups, there have been downs, but having recently started attending Tamara Yoga, I’m starting to feel a lot more optimistic about my rocky road to (relative) health and fitness.

Firstly, all credit to my younger sister, who after my unsuccessful week-long attempt at finding a yoga class that worked with my work schedule piped up and suggested I attend Tamara Yoga. It’s obscenely close to where I live, parking is ample and free and their schedule is so insanely varied (7.00am on a Saturday morning, anyone? How about 6.00am on Cottesloe beach?) that you’d have to be truly unlucky to not have something you could attend.

The format is thusly – some classes are fixed, some allow a rock-up-and-pay arrangement. I signed myself up for a six-week beginners course, which locked me in for that amount of time, and meant that each class built on what was learned the week beforehand. They’re wonderfully flexible with this arrangement – I came waltzing in at the week two point, and they altered the fee to reflect the five-week duration. My instructor – the effervescent Carol – quizzed me a bit on my relative level of familiarity and kept an eye on me to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid.

This Buddha greets you in the foyer @ Tamara Yoga

The other option – pay as you go – means that for certain classes you can just turn up and hope it’s not horribly packed (this hasn’t happened – yet). I chose to attend a Vinyasa class at 7.00am on a Saturday morning (yes – this was extremely strange and overeager), which worryingly specified neither all levels or beginners, as many classes do. This instructor (I didn’t catch her name, but the website makes me think Helen), just like Carol, checked on what I knew and what I didn’t and came by to adjust me occasionally. Whilst it was a more advanced class than I strictly speaking should have been attending, every pose and movement had a lesser-powered option, and she was careful to specify easier variations of every motion. It was incredibly inclusive, and very considerate, and impressed the crap out of me.

♥ A class in action

But how are the classes themselves? The key word is relaxed. It’s a very informal, almost chatty format, more educational than you might expect and the wind down, meditation portion at the end (savasana) is complete bliss. The day after my first class I felt less stiff, more limber and more – centred, I suppose? And I don’t resent going at all, like I do gymming, or any other kind of exercise. I actually find myself poring over the schedule and trying to find drop-in classes I can wedge myself into – voluntarily. As in, with no one making me. This is a big deal, kids. As an additional level of awesome they provide everything – mats, blocks, straps, all manner of things. And you can buy rather wonderful yoga equipment there. I’m tempted. Watch this space.

So ultimately I’m really happy with Tamara Yoga. It’s wonderfully informal (which I love) with a great assortment of classes and highly skilled, friendly staff. It is the ultimate in non-intimidating Yoga. Very recommended!

Have you been to Tamara Yoga before? Have a penchant for cake? Lets chat below!

Email: info@tamarayoga.com

Web: https://tamarayoga.com/

Phone: 9385 2242

Tamara Yoga Classes held at The Luck Now Centre
UPSTAIRS 10/24 St Quentin Avenue Claremont Perth Western Australia
Enter via laneway off St Quentin’s Avenue across from Claremont Quarter

Review by Suzanne: she is allergic to exercise, and can only be cured with cake.

Be well,

xoxo

(N)Ommmmmmmm!

As most of you know, I love yoga. The feeling of peace and serenity afterwards can’t be beaten, and the ongoing changes that it makes to your mind and body are incredible. I ride a wave between doing 2-3 classes a week for a while, beginning to feel amazing, then falling off the wagon for a few weeks in which time my mood and general wellbeing are noticeably worse.

So many of us struggle with this, even as the owner of Wellness WA I still really need to work on making sure I do the best things for myself and my body whenever I can (and I do slip up!). But that’s cool, because it’s a journey, just “do your best, and your best will get better”.

So, back on the wagon lately and last Sunday morning a friend and I partook in a 9:30am Sunday restorative yoga class at a new school in Claremont that I’d been wanting to check out for AGES – Sun Salute Yoga.

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The studio has an amazing feel, all beech-y wooden floors, high ceilings, candles & space. What I can only imagine a studio in New York might look and feel like.

A gently spoken English lass with the tell-tale glowing skin and calm presence of a seasoned yoga teacher led the ‘Deep Stretch Restorative Class‘. The Sun Salute website states that “This restorative class is the best in Perth” – quite a claim, and one I was keen to put to the test as I have a few favourites around the place!

This is an Ashtanga Yoga school, and even the restorative class has elements of the staple pose (and namesake), the sun salute. Personally I have low blood pressure which can make me feel a little dizzy when going from floor to standing poses, so if you’re in the same boat make sure you let the teacher know before class and they will happily accommodate you by providing alternative postures.

My friend was unable to do one of the other poses, and our teacher Louise made sure she was looked after and helped her find another way she could do the stretch. Personalised attention and care is one of the many benefits of small class sizes at dedicated yoga schools, as opposed to large classes at the gym.

The class lives up to its name of being a deep stretch, and many of the poses really get into the hips – which I found out today are the deepest joints in the body and hold a lot of tension and emotion, something I’m happy to get rid of!

Overall it was a very enjoyable class and we both left feeling happy and calm, ready to tackle a crazy morning of Christmas shopping. My friend who is a total yoga newbie loved it too, so it’s suitable for all levels. Is it the best in Perth? It’s definitely up there. I’m undecided as to a clear winner just yet, as I’m pretty in love with a few other classes too, but it’s definitely a very high-quality class and one I would recommend to anyone who needs a little extra zen in their life. I’ll be back for sure!

Ps. Check out their FAQ page for some great info, and some light-hearted-yet-serious answers to common questions, including:

“My boyfriend dumped me for a woman with a flat stomach and a tight bum. I think she had breast implants too. Will yoga help me look more like her?”

The deets:

Length: 75 minute class
Cost: $20 casual rate. See website for package deals.

SunSalute Yoga
12 Stirling Road
Claremont WA 6010

Ph: (08) 9448-8179
Email: yoga@sunsalute.com.au
Facebook: Sun Salute Yoga FB
Twitter: @yogasunsalute

Have you done yoga on Sundays, the traditional day of rest, before? Heard of this new school?

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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A little while ago I did a callout on Facebook to rustle up the names of some of your favourite yoga dvds, as I’ve long been yearning for a home practice for those days that I don’t feel like venturing back out of the house after work.

One recommendation really caught my eye and since receiving the DVD’s I’ve been unashamedly having a bit of a love affair with them. Meet the first two members of my yoga video library (which I hope will grow with time!) – Yoga Easy and Yoga 2 Easy by the lovely Yolanda Pettinato.

Yolanda is truly inspirational, having overcome obstacles in her life that would defeat most people, she is the glowing example of everything that yoga represents – tranquility, wisdom, inner peace and honouring your body.

What you will need:

♥ Yoga Mat – I use my Mukha mat (which I wrote about here)
♥ The desire to stretch and strengthen your body, calm your mind and feel fantastic! (And who doesn’t want that?!)

That is ALL you need, and the DVD of course. If you want to ramp the relaxing factor up a notch you can also throw in:

♥ Oil burner with bergamot oil, my favourite
♥ A dark room

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Yolanda has a gentle, soothing voice and she comes across as a real sweetheart. For a woman in her late 50′s, she has a body that most women would in their 20′s would envy. I can feel her encouraging kindness traveling through the screen and into my living room when she softly says “good, that’s good” after many of the sequences, and I find it a comforting and reassuring addition to the practice.

The practice on both of the DVD’s is quite short – 30 minutes – but is enough to wind me down after a stressful or tiring day, it can also be used in the mornings to set you up for the day ahead and is a great way to ground yourself. In fact the length of the session is one of the best things about it, if you’re anything like me it can be hard to find an hour / hour and a half to head out to a yoga class, and that doesn’t include driving there and back! 30 minutes is just enough to be easily manageable, but also gain real results.

While this is by no means a cardio workout, there are some sections focusing on strength that are challenging, and the great thing about yoga is that because you’re working with your own strength and flexibility, there is always room for improvement as you begin to get stronger.

As Yolanda says “just do your best, and your best will get better” – I love that phrase!

Doing either of these yoga DVD’s leaves my whole body feeling stretched and relaxed, with a sense of peace and stillness of mind that I really look forward to. The class flies by and before you know it you’re lying in Savasana thinking how lucky you are to have this wonderful experience in your life.

She also has some meditation CD’s which are no doubt great (she has the perfect voice for it) and even her dogs have been convinced by her to try meditating

Cost: $24.95 each, free shipping if you purchase more than one item
Suitable for: Beginners – experienced who are looking for a relaxation based yoga class with strength elements
Where to buy: http://www.yolandapettinato.com

If you have any questions about the DVD’s please let me know, I would be only too happy to answer them as I think I’m Yolanda’s new biggest fan!!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥

Fundraiser for the Sarah Gapp Cause.
This world record attempt is aimed to raise $30,000 for a young victim of severe stroke.

This is a highly worthy event and we will be attending! I hope as many of you as possible can make it down, take part in a fun pilates class, help break a world record and raise money to help Sarah on her recovery! x

Sarah before and after her tragic stroke.

Brisbane Law Student, Sarah Gapp, had a severe stroke in her brainstem only weeks after her 21st birthday. She had to have 60% of her cerebellum removed and was left with a condition called Locked in Syndrome, a tragic condition that leaves her perfectly aware mind unable to communicate with her body.

Only 1 in 100,000 people ever come out of locked in syndrome. Sarah’s will and determination has seen her defy the odds and regain some speech and movement.
With little support from the medical system Sarah desperately needs funds to learn to swallow and to walk, two things we take for granted every day.

Help LIVe Pilates raise $30,000 for Sarah by joining us from 9am-12pm to break the largest pilates class world record on the 23rd October. Be part of a community bringing hope to a true Aussie battler.
100% of funds raised go to helping Sarah.

Former Perth Lord Mayor and current Perth Councillor Candidate, Chas Hopkins, supports the Sarah Gapp Cause and community fitness. Mr Hopkins will be officially opening the event and will present the Perth community’s fundraising efforts to Sarah on the day.

For more details phone 9367 4299

Register today and be one of 1000 participants to break the current official world record of 862 for the world’s largest pilates class.

Register at http://www.livepilates.com.au/community/. Every participant receives a Gift Bag on the day!

Will you be making your way down this Sunday?

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥

First, a disclaimer. I love couch-bound movie days, a good sleep in, and I have never been fond of exercise leggings. But in January, something unusual happened: I embraced the spandex and started waking up at 5:40am three days a week to work out.

Gyms have never been for me. I found it was too easy to slack off on my own, and group fitness classes were too repetitive. My purse strings were too tight for a personal trainer and I wasn’t big on running around my local park (Hey there, busy main road! Check out my shameful fitness level!).

After an indulgent holiday period, I realised that if I wanted to get fit I’d either have to work up some killer commitment and motivation to do it myself, or find someone to kick my butt on a budget.

So I strolled down to my local park and became familiar with Step Into Life.

Despite the corny name, Step Into Life offers the benefits of a personal trainer at a fraction of the cost, in a friendly, non-judgemental group scenario. Sessions range from five people to 30 people of all different shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels.

The hour-long sessions run Monday-Saturday in the mornings and evenings, suiting even the busiest of schedules. You can expect high-intensity sessions which tone, improve cardio fitness and even relieve stress (particularly the kickboxing class!). I’ve not yet done the same workout twice, so there’s no repetition unlike that fitness DVD you once used for a week straight before getting bored and letting it gather dust.

The big winner for me is training outdoors! Perth is blessed with awesome weather all year, so I feel it’s my duty to take advantage of it. The fresh air gets you going, even during chilly 6am starts in the middle of winter.

Prices depend on the franchise, but offer better value the more sessions you do a week. You generally sign up on a 3-monthly basis with direct debit or a one-off payment.

Cost vary between each franchise but my trainer in Carine charges:

$19/session/week if you do one session a week
$16/session ($32/week) if you do 2 sessions a week
$14/session ($42/week) if you do 3 sessions a week

Not sure if you want to commit? You can try it for FREE before you handover any of your hard earned moo-lah.

If you’re still in winter hibernation mode, challenge yourself. Start loving the sweat, the spandex and the outdoors and Step Into Life! I can guarantee within weeks of joining you’ll be checking out your guns in mirrors when no one’s around…not that I do that…

To find out exactly what you can expect at one of the 20 franchises kicking butts in parks across Perth, and for information and contact details of your local trainer, visit www.stepintolife.com.au

Ph: (08) 9301 2351
Email: wa@stepintolife.com

Review by Gemma Clark, recent master of sit-ups.

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Hey guys, as some of you know I now write beauty pages for Xpress Magazine quarterly but was recently asked to do a fill in feature for the regular weekly issue. I decided to focus on the fact that beach and bathers weather is upon us and that it can be pretty scary!

If you’d like to download a copy of how it looks in the magazine you can do so: here (PDF version).

Otherwise read on for my top tips to beat the bikini body blues….arooooooo (wolf howling noise).

Summer is a comin, and with it, the promise of glorious sunny days and heat which can only be quelled by a trip down to the beach and a dip in the ocean followed by an icecream or bevvy. Sounds great right? You’ve picked out your adorable vintage inspired bikini online, stalked the postman for days and when it finally arrives somethings not quite right… suddenly you realise “I’M NOT READY FOR THIS NEAR NAKED PUBLIC DISPLAY OF FLESH!” and vow to spend summer indoors, dreaming of a snowy getaway.

But don’t give up hope just yet, if you’re in need of some guidance follow these tried and tested tips to beat the bikini body blues and reclaim the beach this summer!

IPL / SPL

Most people have heard of Intense Pulsed Light / Square Pulsed Light by now, but in a nut shell it’s a relatively quick and simple treatment that involves applying bursts of intense light to areas of the body to reduce hair growth (feels like a rubber band snapping on your skin, no worse than waxing).

It works incredibly well on bikini lines, legs and underarms and for those who are prone to ingrown hairs, is nothing short of miraculous (I used to be one of them and haven’t had an ingrown since)!

The real beauty of this treatment is in the freedom it allows you, with treatments every 6 weeks and a diminishing amount of hair each time, it gets easier and easier to slip into your bathers without any rogue hair worries. It works best on those with fair skin and dark hair, and is my number one tip for making summer easier.

There are plenty of places that offer these treatments, I’ve had great luck with: http://www.hairfree.com.au

Move Yourself

This one gets mentioned so much that it’s become more than a little redundant, there is a reason for the constant reminding though: IT WORKS! Exercising is the best way to burn calories and stress, plus get endorphins flowing around your body, all three of which will make you feel great and help you look good.

There are 54 million ways to get moving, from bikram yoga to bike riding, boxing to burlesque dancing – they will all help you get a toned tum and bum, plus improve your posture so that you stand up tall as you take your first tentative steps onto the sand this summer – just don’t burn your feet! Once you’re at the beach, you can even take it a step further by getting into some frisbee, beach volleyball, jogging along the shoreline with a pup… or you could take the unconventional approach and go for a swim.

Full Body Exfoliation

It’s time to put TLC’s “No Scrubs” out of your mind and allow yourself to enter the wonderful word of exfoliation. There’s something about having every inch of your body scrubbed that makes for feeling completely physically and mentally cleansed. It’s a great post-winter ritual that will leave your skin free of built up dead skin cells and able to get rid of toxins more efficiently. It will also make you look all smooth and glowy, which will help ease the pain of taking the majority of your clothes off. So make like a snake and shed that winter skin, you can have this done professionally at a day spa, purchase a cheap body scrub or make your own out of sugar and olive oil.

To (Fake) Tan or Not to (Fake) Tan…

So far we’re free of pesky hairs, feeling the benefits of exercising up a storm and have smooth glowing skin – so what next? The divisive topic of tan vs no tan of course!

Now I’m going to optimistically assume that everyone is onboard with me when I say: actual sun tanning is a Pretty Silly idea given we live in Australia and are unfortunately in peak hour public transport style proximity to our good friend the ozone hole, which means we are in the top four countries most at risk of skin cancer. So no sun baking okay? Yes? Great.

So now there are two choices: summery glow vs au naturale. Being of the more ghostly persuasion myself, I’m all for embracing the skin colour you born with. The advent of shows like Mad Men and all of those fancy historical films with beautiful “english rose” types has made being a fair skinned lass as equally acceptable on the beach as having naturally darker skin, so if you’re giving the colour of soy milk a run for its money then you can by all means EMBRACE IT without fear of social exclusion.

Both dark and pale skin needs to be covered up with cute hats, clothing when possible, protective sunglasses and lashings of sunscreen, or my favourite, Invisible Zinc.

If you can’t bear to get bare without a little extra colour confidence, then a spray tan is the best way to go. My pick is local brand Aussie Bombshell, who are currently taking the state (and Australia) by storm with their extremely natural looking sunless tans. You will still need to apply sunscreen though, no getting naughty and slacking off thanks. Yes miss.

These four suggestions should get you well on your way to bikini body confidence, all you need now is a warm day, your favourite beach and the all-clear from the lifeguard that there has been no shark sightings for quite some time. And that bevvy I mentioned earlier. Enjoy!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

In the summertime when the weather is fine, in the summertime when the weather is fine, in the summertime you got yoga you got yoga on your mind!

I have previously undertaken holistic personal training / private yoga classes with Stuart Watkins and can wholeheartedly attest to them being rejuvenating, inspiring, calming and grounding. You will feel excellent after a class.

Do yourself a favour and get down to one of these if you can, the first class started yesterday and they will be ongoing until further notice, but do get in touch with Stuart before attending to confirm.

Namaste!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥

1. Cheaper Strawberries & Oranges

There’s been an influx of these bright, summer reminiscent fruits in the shops lately and I for one am LOVING IT! I think strawberries were up around the $8-$9 mark for a while and I prefer to buy local oranges as opposed to ones that come from the USA, due to them being gassed prior to undertaking their travel!

Refreshing orange wedges, fresh strawberry smoothies & chopped fruit with natural yoghurt have been keeping me healthy & happy lately. HOORAY FOR SEASONAL EATING!!!

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2. Invisible Zinc.

Although I’ve long heard the hype about Invisible Zinc, it’s taken me until now to jump on board the ‘physical sunscreen’ band wagon. With total babes such as Elle Macpherson and Georgia May Jagger (Jerry Hall’s daughter) as spokesmodels, it’s no wonder that this brand is turning heads. Being a freckled lass means that I should have been sunscreening up on a daily basis. Emphasis on the should have. I’ve only recently been really making an effort to make sure I pop on some sunscreen before putting on my make-up.

Tales of my naughtiness aside, I am really enjoying the Invisible Zinc Environmental Skin Protector SPF30+. It feels great during and after application, lives up to it’s name of being invisible and has THREE (count em) ways in which it does our skin some serious favours:

♥ UVA + UVB protection. Physical sunscreen reflects these danger-rays, unlike chemical sunscreen (the regular stuff) which absorbs only UVB rays and then turns them into free radicals, which is less than ideal. So physical wins here!
♥ Pollution barrier! Stops city smog from interacting with your face, ESP forms a film over your face to protect you from these baddies which can contribute to aging.
♥ Packed full of antioxidants, which help to protect your skin cells pre & post sun exposure.

International model, Simone Kerr, also enjoys it – check out our interview with her here!

3. More Yoga!!!

The benefits I’ve experienced from yoga include: increased mental clarity and calm, less moodiness, increased flexibility, better sleep, clearer skin and a more toned tum. Despite all of these wonderful perks, I’ve been slack with making time to fit in into my schedule. UNTIL NOW! The past two weeks have seen yoga appearing twice in my 7 day routine and I’ve been loving it!

I would love to take part in a ‘yoga revolution’ which is one entire month of doing a yoga class, once a day. I think the benefits would be incredible, but I might have to start off with just a weeks worth first!

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4. Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash

I am adoring this, hard. I’ve previously talked about it in my birthday wellness weekend article, but wanted to declare my love once more. LOVE YOU BB, DON’T EVA LET ME GO <3. Ahem.

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5. Mukha Natural Yoga Mats – $80

I’ve had one of these for quite some time now, but kept forgetting to take it to class with me! Very silly, I know. The mats were dreamed up when Perth based yoga teacher, Lisa Gawned, was in the well loved downward dog position.

She realised that she was ‘grounding’ herself upon a PVC mat, a man-made material which is toxic to our health and the environment. And so Mukha Mats were born, made from 100% sustainably farmed natural rubber (the smell is very strong in the mat when you first get it, but soon dissipates), healthy for you and the environment. The mat is also completely biodegradable at the end of it’s life, which is pretty awesome.

I found the mat heavier than expected when I first started using it, but quickly got used to it and am now enjoying having my own personal eco-friendly mat in which to stretch and de-stress on. No fear of sharing sweat and bacteria with other people and the knowledge that it’s non-toxic and good for the earth? Double win.

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When I first heard the words ‘vacu power’ I had images of a space age machine rolling over my body, whilst I was wearing a space age compatible suit, sucking out any parts that I didn’t like. Then I remembered that this is a surgery called liposuction (sans space age suit) and that ‘vacu power’ probably meant something else.

BUT GUESS WHAT? I wasn’t actually too far off. The Vacu Power machine at Body D’vine in Midvale can easily be described like this, a machine (see?) on top of a treadmill. You get into a wetsuit-like half suit (SEE?) that goes over your shoulders and creates a ‘skirt’ around your middle. You step into the machine and the skirt zips in creating an airtight lock. Then you turn on the treadmill, start running/walking and the machine creates a vacuum suction that makes your legs work HARD.

Motivational material comes with the session!

This treatment is described as ‘body sculpting’ and is meant to help you lose weight and eliminate cellulite by making you exercise certain parts harder and smarter. The great thing about this treatment is that you are still increasing your fitness and doing something very active to try and achieve results (better than surgery hey?) AND you can do it while watching something on your own personal TV attached to the machine (they have a large range of DVDs at Body D’vine to keep you occupied for the 30 minutes, ‘Cher in Concert’, anyone?) All you have to do is wear your gym clothes, bring your running/walking shoes, a towel and some water. Everything else (lockers, headphones) is provided.

So does it work? While trainers will tell you that there is no way to spot reduce fat on JUST your legs, there is a whole wall of photos at Body D’vine of lovely ladies of all ages smiling large above a number- the amount of kilos and centimeters they have shed all over since starting Vacu Power. A sign the body sculpting is at work.

Random picture of attractive legs for good measure!

Personally I found this enjoyable, the 30 minutes flies by when you have your mind on something else (music, the TV etc) and you can go as hard as you feel comfortable (this is not a group workout). Each time I went I was able to go faster and I saw my fitness levels increase even over the relatively short period of 2 weeks. I felt all the normal effects of good exercise in the short term- that little extra bounce in your step- and would actually describe the whole Vacu Power experience as just a different form of exercise. If you are expecting dramatic and literal ‘vacuuming’ this isn’t for you. The staff and other clientele (mostly women) are lovely and there is a real sense of community in the place. My ONLY gripe is that it is in Midvale and the opening hours were limiting for my schedule. But this could be for you.

Find out more at the Body D’vine website – Body D’vine.

Review by Adriane Daff, super-duper famous actress and TOTAL Cher lover.

Be well,

xoxo