Back in high school I was a little too self-conscious about my weight. I thought I was too fat, and I envied my slimmer, taller classmate Erica who, at 5'4 1/2" only weight 88 lbs. At 99 lbs, I thought I was a heifer.
Unhealthy body image aside, I was relatively a healthy eater. I rarely craved sweets, and I chose boiled or broiled fish at home whenever I could. When I realized how much good food I was missing, I broke my habit and straight away gained 10-15 lbs in college. Fast forward to 2016, and while I feel a bit satisfied I no longer look like a waif, I think I may have gone a little overboard. At 130 lbs I'm overweight for my height.
Early this month, I went for 4 Acutrim sessions at Contours (about a week or so after the
6-session LaserFit trial).
The Needle-Free Acupuncture
Acutrim is an interesting offering, considering it uses the ancient Chinese medicine philosophy of acupuncture. Just one session every week for 4 weeks, they say, would be sufficient to curb cravings for about half a year. What I like about this modern version of acupuncture is that, there are no needles. It's needle-free, as in no needle will be used to pierce my skin, unlike how people used to do it with acupuncture. This is an easier and safer treatment.
To help people lose weight, acutrim targets ten pressure points on the ears, three on the arms and two on the legs. Why these points, you ask? The pressure points on the ears are believed to affect weight control, such as those for the endocrine and adrenal glands as well as the stomach. Certain points on the ears can also affect mood and the release of stress hormones, the same hormones responsible for our food binge moments.
Each acutrim session takes about 30-40 minutes. Instead of a needle, a type of pulse massager will be used to stimulate specific points on your body. Electric current passes through the tip of the massager, and you will know it's working when you feel a little heat, vibration or deep pressure on your body. It helps that you notify the technician if the pressure gets too intense--the acutrim pen will can easily be adjusted.
The Verdict
After one session, I left the studio a little hungry so my SO and I went for a snack. Interestingly, I didn't feel much and I was curious whether the entire trial would really work. The following day I had breakfast and I felt full after a half cup of ginataang kalabasa. Between the second and third sessions, however, I would often get cravings. My hormones and the free food at the office are to blame, as well as my lack of discipline. After the fourth session, my food intake was a lot less, and my cravings became far between. I may also have grown more conscious and pressured to lose 12 lbs lately (to fit in my wedding dress).
Although the acutrim treatments may have been so-so, I feel like they have helped me better regulate my mood after the fourth session. Just five days after my last session, I'm still on the fence whether acutrim is worth a try. This would probably work a lot better on people who has the will power to stop eating after feeling just a little full. To make sure you really feel the difference (even emotionally and physically), the Contours Advanced Face and Body Sculpting Institute recommends you undergo eight sessions.
For more info, check out Contours Advanced Face and Body Sculpting Institute's Facebook page.
