My Own Mini Mommy Makeover and Initial Consultation Experience with CoolSculpting

This is a sponsored post by CoolSculpting. All opinions are my own.

It was just two and a half years ago that I was at my ideal weight, the most fit I’ve ever been and experiencing the opportunity to renew my vows on the beautiful beaches of Turks & Caicos. I felt so unstoppable and confident! With my recent turning of age thirty-six, I started off 2017 with truly questioning how I’ve been taking care of myself. I started 2017 thirty-pounds overweight, stressed and maxed out and I found myself plateauing and feeling so…blah. Surprised? I mean, I live and breathe ‘The It Mom’ lifestyle and feeling that way surprised me too.

Two years ago I was doing media tours, news segments, and commercials and realized that since then, I had let myself go too far on the deep end. And over time, I started becoming this introverted extrovert who hid behind closed doors and refused to be out in public unless I had to. I didn’t do it on purpose, but my work consumed me, trying to do so much for everybody wore me out, and I was at a point of exhaustion. I started evaluating how I had come to this point in my life and what I was going to do about it and by mid-January I made some drastic changes that went into effect immediately. I made the decision to scale back on projects, delegate more to others on the team, drop the things in life that weren’t of value or priority, and make an effort to take care of myself. The biggest goal for 2017 for me was to make an effort to take care of myself.

That’s hard to do when you’re a mom, right? With the feeling of mom guilt all around me, I almost made that goal of taking care of myself last. But you know what? I cannot be at my best when I am feeling my worst. I cannot set a good example to my children and husband about living healthy and having an overall sense of well-being when I am living the extreme opposite. I NEED to take care of myself right now, and it needs to be my number one priority. And so I cut out the noise and followed through.

I decided to give myself a mini “mommy makeover” and I documented the steps on my blog and social media. First, I got back to the gym and signed up for hot pilates and hot yoga classes here in Las Vegas. I made changes to beautify me with a new hairstyle and color! Then, I began eating right and taking the right vitamins and signed up with a nutritionist and later with a managed food and meal planning program. As days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, I began feeling better mentally and physically again! Unfortunately, there are areas left on my body that have been resistant to my diet and exercise. I decided to look into options on non-invasive treatments I could do to eliminate these stubborn areas of fat and started researching online.

I came across CoolSculpting and saw tons and tons of before and after photos and became intrigued and began my search for a wellness center where I could learn more. Coincidentally, the CoolSculpting team reached out looking for ambassadors and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for this partnership! I was able to get in touch with Illuminate Face & Body Bar to meet with their Aesthetician, Toni Ross, to do my CoolSculpting consultation.

I met with Toni at Illuminate Face & Body Bar for my initial consultation and found her to be friendly, personable, and compassionate. I could tell that she enjoys what she does and has a passion for aesthetics. Toni gave me a tour of their beautiful center and showed me the CoolSculpting room and the CoolSculpting machines they used. Then Toni and I sat down to discuss how CoolSculpting works, the process, and what to expect. It was a very thorough consultation that gave me peace of mind and confidence in Illuminate and CoolSculpting.

We then went into the CoolSculpting room and we began discussing areas that CoolSculpting can treat including the submental area (under the chin, double chin), thighs (inner and outer), abdomen, flanks (love handles) bra fat, back fat, underneath the buttocks (also known as the banana roll), and my upper arms. After Toni had a look at the areas I was most concerned about, she was very honest with her feedback. I thought my love handles, chin, and arms were my biggest concerns but she pointed out that my double chin and upper arms were minimal and could be toned through exercise and fitness.

She did agree that my flanks would benefit from CoolSculpting and also suggested my bra fat, back fat and inner thigh areas (which I didn’t even think about but were definitely stubborn areas I’ve dealt with for years). Especially my inner thighs – they were constantly rubbing together when I wore dresses and you could hear them rubbing together when I wore pants! Also, they were creating so much friction from rubbing together that skin on my inner thighs were constantly red and irritated. And I was getting holes in my pants on my inner thigh areas due to the friction. I also had to stop wearing a bra for this very reason – no matter what bra I used, there was bra fat and back fat overlapping and it made me look bigger than I really was and kept digging into and pinching my skin (making me feel very uncomfortable throughout the day). And my flanks definitely gave me a muffin top on both sides, but my right side was more prominent than my left side. Because the shape was so unflattering, the only way I could wear form fitting dresses or skirts was with tight and uncomfortable shapewear. I was definitely game with the areas Toni recommended!

So what are some of the CoolSculpting benefits for me?

• Safe and Effective: CoolSculpting is FDA-cleared for treatment of visible fat bulges in the upper arm, bra and back fat, banana roll, submental area, thigh, abdomen and flank. The results are clinically proven, noticeable and lasting.

• Non-Invasive: CoolSculpting eliminates fat for good without the risks or downtime associated with surgical treatments. This is a big one for me, because after having had a mommy makeover a few years ago, I can tell you that the downtime from surgical treatments is no fun!

• Personalized and Simple: CoolSculpting is available through an elite network of CoolSculpting providers worldwide. The treatment is performed by a CoolSculpting provider who develops a customized treatment plan tailored to each body that leads to an optimal transformation. Additional treatments in the same or multiple areas may help enhance the desired aesthetic effect. Patients typically see a 20-25 percent reduction of fat in the treated area with results as early as three weeks. The most dramatic results are typically observed one to three months after treatment. The CoolSculpting treatment is performed in just 35 minutes (depending on the area(s) of the body treated), and during this time, patients can relax, read or even nap.

I was curious how the CoolSculpting treatment works and it’s a pretty straightforward process. During the CoolSculpting treatment, a non-invasive applicator delivers precisely controlled cooling to the treatment area to specifically target underlying fat, leaving surface skin and other surrounding tissue unaffected. When fat cells are exposed to extreme cold, a process of natural removal is triggered, which gradually reduces the thickness of the fat layer. Once the treated fat cells are crystallized (frozen), they die and are naturally eliminated from the body for good. The result is a noticeable and measurable reduction of fat in the treatment area. To learn more information, you can visit the CoolSculpting FAQS

Fun Fact: The CoolSculpting treatment is based on proven science called Cryolipolysis®. Cryolipolysis is the result of a groundbreaking discovery by Drs. Dieter Manstein and R. Rox Anderson at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

We also had an opportunity to discuss possible side effects using CoolSculpting. Toni wanted to make sure I was completely informed on what to expect and explained that the first few days and/or weeks after receiving the treatment, I could experience side effects such as itching, swelling, numbness, redness and tenderness.

The price for CoolSculpting treatments varies depending on your areas of concern, the number of sessions needed, and your ultimate goals. My CoolSculpting consultant created a customized treatment plan, in person, that’s tailored for my body, goals and budget. If you can relate to my story, and you’re ready to take the next step towards your own makeover, then go to the CoolSculpting website to find a location near you and schedule your initial consultation too!