Last year, I noticed the bathroom scales were showing an alarming number. Before getting hitched, I was only 38kg. I have aalways been a big eater but I never had to worry about my weight. It showed I was 58kg. I noticed I can't wear size S anymore. Hell, I had trouble with size L too. I had noticed a tv advert on a particular slimming centre named after a well known city in Europe. It offered a free trial. And I was curious. It was a bit difficult to excercise and diet with my working hours and small boys. What the heck, let's give it a go.
As I live in Sandakan and only go back to KL during holidays, I wasn't really sure if I could commit to a long term programme. But if I really could lose 5 kgs in a session, why not? So I sent in an SMS and waited.
These people called me and we set an appointment. All I wanted was to see the sample. Does it work. I was hoping for a miracle.
What the consultant did was show me testimonials, and the price list. A shockingly nasty price list. No wonder there are so many fat women around. Its so bloody expensive to get thin. Seriously, what sort of crazy person would pay for this ... It costs more than what I pay for my car... But maybe it is so because it is effective? Still , the price made me think twice. So I got PART of my FREE TRIAL. I went in for a sauna and some infrared heat treatment which made me sweat like hell. As I was busy sweating my ass off, the consultant once again came in and tried to coax me into signing up. I still wouldn't give in, so she gave me a try at the 'fat burning machine'. Basically they strap u into these sets of machines that send a current to specific parts of your body. It mimics
Sit ups, artificially. At high settings, it was quite painful.
After the treatments, I had lost...a whopping 1kg. :/
Under other circumstances, I would have ran off. 1 kg for all that? But the consultant was very persistant. If I had been her marketing trainer, I would give her an A+. A real smooth talker. She gave me the shortest package. She refused to let me out of the cantre to think it over. She told me if I couldn't complete it all in one go, I can continue my treatments next year during my next holidays. Then she gave me a pack of oat drinks which raises the bodys metabolisme by 30% and represses hunger. (It turned out to have julap-ish affects :((( )
I only managed to complete 2 sessions before returning to sdkn. Plus the free trial, and their special diet, I got on to the plane weighing 3kg lighter.
They still owed me 9 treatments more. Finished the damned oats. Weighed myself at mums bathroom scales. 55kg. A year passed, at least it didn't go up anymore. Then they called. Was hoping they'd forgotten coz, hey! I've paid it all already? Wow... So jujur and concerned.
So this morning I went again. During the treatment, I was told that I gained weight and was lectured into buying more products. Then it occured to me, the consultant merely read the advert file and had trouble pronouncing certain things. She also said some stuff which was plain silly and non-logic (hey, don't try to mess with a Bio Grad, ok? Its insulting).
The price.... Voila. A cool RM 9k for 6 months of oats!!
Horrified, I said no. I have too many commitments coming my way. Just let me finish the programme and I will try control my food intake.
She suddenly was able to throw in deals, freebies, treatment upgrades, payments through installments (which she offered last year too but insisted its not allowed actually). This time I put my foot down. No. I want to finish this programme 1st, then I will think of something else. She called her boss.
The boss merely repeated what she said, using better English. I told her I had big financial commitments coming my way, and ever so slyly she reminded me that I had finished paying for the treatments, so RM300 a month installments for the next 2 years won't be a problem. For her at least. I was furious. At least give me a day or 2 to think this over. Damn, I could by my mum a new viva with that sort of money. And then I was told that today is the closing date for RM1200 worth of free products! If I buy next Monday, no free products.
So, I simply said no. If she bugs me again next Monday, I won't continue my treatments there.
I am not sure if they really are concerned for my well being or they're just digging my purse.
Maybe it does work, its just that the distance made the treatment non-effective. Maybe I'm just not disciplined enough. Either way, if you are planning to go for this sort of thing keep in mind:
1. They steam you
2. They heat you up
3. They electrocute you
4. You need to strip to measure and apply the creams/serums
5. You need to starve yourself a bit
6. There are hidden costs in the forms of products. Stuff they only tell you about AFTER you signed up for treatments.
One lady sued at Tribunal Pengguna and won. She spent over RM40K and her weight didn't go down. I won't sue, because it served me right. I had doubts and stupidly signed up. But I'll try complete the treatments.
At least my back ache goes away for a while after the sauna!!
