HYPOXI consultation + free trial at HYPOXI Studio North Sydney

I've been seeing the HYPOXI ad on the TV screens at Fitness First each time I've been to the gym for the past two weeks and I've to admit, I'm quite intrigued. Said to be the best targeted fat loss and cellulite reduction treatment in the market without having to go under the knife, one can achieve their ideal figure within a matter of weeks. Over 350,000 people have used HYPOXI to transform their bodies, even British celebrities like Robbie Williams and Jordan (aka Katie Price). Personally, I'm a firm believer that to achieve your ideal body shape, it comes with hard work and discipline - regular exercise with a mix of cardio and weights AND watching what and how much you consume. To be able to achieve your goal in a mere four weeks by HYPOXI sounds a bit too good to be true...

As a Fitness First member, I was entitled to a free consultation and trial of HYPOXI - curious and somewhat dubious that this may yet be another one of those weight loss scams, I decided to check it out (and blog about it of course!). Fortunately for me, there was a HYPOXI centre conveniently located in North Sydney which was just 2 minutes walk from my office on Miller St so around 11.30am, I headed down the block to HYPOXI Studio North Sydney for my appointment. The centre was fairly small - a couch in the waiting area, one staff manning the phone at the reception desk, a changing room and four different HYPOXI machines (they reminded me of machines you would see in futuristic movies) with no customers in sight. The receptionist turned out to be the consultant I was seeing today and she was very informative, providing me with details on what HYPOXI does and how it works, and showed me an article that had before and after pictures of women who trialled various treatments to deal with their cellulite in the bum and thigh areas with HYPOXI reigning in results - all these information were given to me as part of my take-home information pack. I had to complete a form which required my personal details and a brief account of my medical history as well as my exercise routine and diet, if any. She also asked me where my problem areas were and how soon I would like to achieve my goals. "Tummy and waist...definitely the tummy," I said, gesturing at my problem area. My tummy is the most hated part of my body - regardless how hard I work out at the gym, I don't seem to see much improvement i.e. the rest of my body is pretty toned, just not the waist area. The lady explained that HYPOXI would definitely help me tone up my problem areas as it works to keep my heart rate within the 'fat burning zone' for the duration of my treatment (whereas my normal exercise routine would be working at a more intense heart rate), activates the circulation of the skin and encourages removal of lymphatic fluids and toxins which breaks down cellulite and firms up the skin. Poor blood circulation is said to be a key reason why it's difficult to rid weight or reduce cellulite and for most women, this applies to the lower half of their body.

Prior to my appointment, I was advised to wear loose-fitting gym clothes such as a t-shirt, leggings/shorts (avoid firm Lycra tights), sneakers and to bring along a towel and water. I was measured before the treatment - this is so if I chose to return to complete the full course of twelve sessions, they would have a base measure and be able to track my progress. My consultant then got me to put on what looked like a space cadet skirt (think Jane Jetson from The Jetsons cartoon) made from the same material used in wetsuits, then proceeded to strap on a heart rate monitor on my chest. I was then told to climb onto the S120, an upright capsule that acts similarly to a stationary bicycle trainer (yes, I have to cycle), except I'm locked waist down in the capsule. The vacuum-sealed chamber applies a steady combination of both positive and negative compressions during the cycle session, stimulating blood supply to the lower half of the body and accelerating lymphatic drainage. For this session, I was required to cycle for 35 minutes and keep my heart rate at 135 beats per minute (BPM). The computerised screen showed me details of my session, including my current heart rate, revolutions per minute (RPM) and how much time I had left before completion.

The S120. Source: HYPOXI North Sydney

Keeping a heart rate of 135 BPM was a piece of cake though I was breaking out quite a sweat by the end of my session. While I peddled, sipped water and dabbed myself with the towel, I was watching TV - I was given a headset that was plugged into the flatscreen TV attached to the machine, watching an episode of Secret Diary of a Call Girl that happened to be on. Three sessions of HYPOXI treatments 30-40 minutes each per week like this for four weeks hardly seems hard work compared to my normal exercise routine. There are claims that HYPOXI reduces the total circumference of the lower body three times faster than regular exercise and 90% improvement in cellulite. Though I could hardly see or feel much difference post my first session, I enjoyed the experience - it was effortless! Note that HYPOXI is not a substitute but a complement to your normal exercise regime. The treatment is targeted weight loss in the lower tummy, hips, bum and thighs so you can't just quit the gym and purely do HYPOXI; instead, you would resume your exercise routine on non-treatment days. You are also required to maintain a healthy balanced diet, limit your consumption of alcohol, sugar and fat, and drink at least 2 litres of water a day. No participation in other fat burning or cardio exercise on the same day of treatment as it would undo all the benefits - the HYPOXI session continues for a period between 3-6 hours after the treatment. During this time, you are also not allowed to eat carbohydrates so that the body continues to burn the newly metabolised fat, rather than using recently consumed energy that is much easier to access.

The full course of twelve sessions cost $690 ($590 for me as I am able to get a corporate rate) and you must carry out three sessions per week during the first 12-session programme. Most people only require one full course to get their results but you can continue on if you wish. If I had the spare cash, I would buy myself the full course just to see if it really gets me the body shape I desire but for now, I'll have to stick with my existing routine. The new training programme my gym trainer Alison started me on focuses more on my abdominal muscles and obliques. Boy is it killing me - my muscles have not been worked this hard!

HYPOXI Studio North Sydney has since relocated from its 181 Miller Street to its new home on 93-95 Pacific Highway.