Weight loss
body wraps are a popular spa treatment, but this is also something you can do at home. You only need a few natural ingredients as well as a friend to help you. The weight loss from body wraps is not from losing fat, but from shedding excess water weight and toxins. Body wraps are a great way to detox the system and help you look and feel your best.
How Body Wraps Work
When it comes to weight loss, there are a couple of ways that body wraps can help. The first is through the squeezing action of the wraps. Since you will be wrapped up in bandages (similar to a mummy), the tissue will naturally compress itself. The second way in which body wraps can aid weight loss is through extracting water and other toxins. When a wrap is applied, it opens up the pores to allow water and toxins to seep out. This is absorbed into the wrap, removing it from the body and causing the loss of excess water weight.
Making and Applying the Wrap
You can use almost any type of powdered clay for your weight loss wrap. The most common include bentonite, French green clay and seaweed; they are available at health food stores or spa supply stores. Mix up the clay with enough water to make it into a thin paste. You may choose to add a few drops of essential oil to the wrap mixture to help relax yourself. Lavender, rose and citrus oils are the best for this purpose.
Put a sheet down on your bed or floor and then lay a shower curtain or sheet of "space wrap" (available at spa supply stores) on top of the sheet. You can wear underwear, a bathing suit or disposable spa undergarments for your weight loss wrap. Dip some Ace bandages into the mixture and have a friend start wrapping you from your ankles up. Wrap your whole body, excluding the feet, hands, neck and head. Always wrap toward the heart, as this promotes lymphatic drainage.
Have your friend assist you into laying down, face up, on the sheet setup. Your friend should wrap you up in the shower curtain or space wrap, then wrap the sheet around you. Get comfortable, because you will be laying here for about half an hour. Warm temperatures help open up the pores, so you may choose to add a heated blanket to the top of your sheet. If you get thirsty during this time, ask your friend to bring you a cup of water.
Aftercare
After about 30 minutes has gone by, have your friend unwrap you. Care should be taken to avoid getting chilled, so unwrapping one leg or arm at a time is best. With a warm wet rag, your friend should wipe you down to remove the clay mixture and then dry you off with a dry towel. Sit up slowly when your friend is finished, as you may get a little dizzy.
Take a warm bath after you are done as this will help remove toxins from your system. Sip on water while you are in the bath to avoid becoming dehydrated.
You may repeat the wrap as often as once a week for maintenance. Watch what you eat to help keep the effects of the wrap. For example, eat a low-sodium diet, avoid processed foods and drink plenty of water. Note that your skin may be dry after the wrap is done. The clays do have a tendency to dry out the skin, so applying a light coat of lotion periodically can help with this issue.
