My experience with cryotherapy

When I was young (in Cuba, in the eighties) being skinny wasn’t considered a desirable trait. I weighed around 90 lbs. during my teens, and 100-105 in my twenties, and was called flacundenga, gata flaca (thin girl, skinny cat) among other unflattering names. Having curves was fashionable. Un culo grande, a big ass, was an asset. I had none.

In my forties I got to 108 lbs. and kept that weight for years. I am just five feet tall so it was about right. After “the change,” however, I gained six pounds. It doesn’t sound like much, and wouldn’t have been a big deal if the aforementioned pounds had been distributed harmonically. That wasn’t the case. All of them went straight to my belly, it seemed. I had to change my size S shorts and skirts to a size M.

I hadn’t altered my diet, which was, and is, quite healthy. I have been on the third stage of the South Beach Diet for years: few carbs, plenty of veggies, and fried food only as a treat. I work out regularly and take walks every day. And yet, the scale kept going up in the most disagreeable manner.

The Frosty Fountain of Youth

I thought about hormone replacement therapy but chickened out after discovering possible side effects that looked even more “disagreeable” than the weight gain. Then my friend Google suggested Cryotherapy, and it turned out that a local clinic had a cryo tank.

I went for a session and stayed inside the tank for forty-five seconds.

It was cold, very cold, but not uncomfortably so. Besides, I was given socks and gloves to wear, and kept my underwear. I came out energized and happy. I felt young. My metabolism was, for sure, revved up. Orale, pues. I had found the Frosty Fountain of Youth!

The second time, however, I stayed in the tank for three whole minutes, the maximum time allowed. It was totally my fault—the technician suggested one minute or, at the most, one minute and a half. But I had had had outstanding results the first time with forty-five seconds! I was ready for more. What could be wrong with increasing the duration, right? Ay, Dios mío.

The answer is: “a lot.” This time around I came out lightheaded and shuddering, with a tight throat, heart palpitations and feeling totally ungrounded. The symptoms went away after an hour or so, thankfully, but the episode scared me away from the cryo tank forever.

Still, I believe it is a wonderful option and I would recommend people use it… with caution. Don’t stay there for three minutes on your second visit like silly me!

A more focalized therapy

So I didn’t dare to try the tank again, but kept snooping about cryo products until I found the CRYOBOD Body Shaper on Amazon.

You can also get it directly from the company. This is the Cryobod website, where they have other products that aren’t available on Amazon.

These are “not” affiliate links. I’m just sharing them because I like the product!

The reviews, in general, were very good. The body shaper uses focalized therapy, which was just what I needed, to target my belly without affecting other body parts. No danger of heart palpitations with it! As you can see here, it is quite big so I have no problem wrapping it around my belly. Even my back reaps the benefits!

The body shaper is made of neoprene. It comes with a cover, and the mesh part protects the skin from excessive cold.

It’s very easy to use. This is the way I do it:

1 Put it in the freezer for 5 hours. It is frozen and hard, so I leave it in the sink for a few minutes before putting it inside the cover.

2  Wrap it around the belly and waist and leave it there for around half an hour. The area looks a bit red after the treatment but it doesn’t leave any permanent marks.

3 Lay on my bed and read while the magic of frost does its thing. It’s a great way to relax too!

4 Massage for five minutes after finishing the treatment. I don’t always do that, but it is recommended.

I have been using it consistently since June, at least once a week, and my excess belly fat has practically melted down. I had to interrupt the treatment when Gary and I went to Perú, but the two-week interval didn’t affect the results. I have lost around 4 inches and can wear my size S clothes again. Other than that, I have not done anything different. I keep working out, walking and eating as healthy as I can. I currently weigh 111 lbs.

So if you are curious, just try it. There’s nothing to lose—except for those unwanted fat cells!