I started doing Whole Body Cryotherapy at 111CRYO in London back in May of last year. At first it was just going to be a month trial after which I would write an article but it never happened because I loved it so much that I continued on. So for those of you that have followed my Instagram stories and have wondered what I’m doing dancing in a freezer here is the long awaited article:
What is Cryotherapy?
‘Cryo’ literally means ‘cold’ so Cryotherapy is ‘cold therapy’. In essence, taking a cold shower or putting ice on an inflamed part of your body is cryotherapy.
What are the benefits of Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy helps with blood circulation and reducing inflammation of the body and as a result helps with a multitude of ailments including:
muscle recovery
pain management
skin tightening
hangovers
jet lag
And because it starts up your body’s fight or flight mode and revs up your adrenaline it also:
speeds up your metabolism
burns up to 800 calories
I’ve also noticed that because it forces you to be present in the moment; It has a meditative effect on:
anxiety
relaxation
sleep
How do you do it?
The best part of having this treatment at a place like 111CRYO is that it’s controlled. I could technically fill up my bathtub with ice and water and produce the same effect but let’s be honest it’s just not very comfortable. At 111CRYO the chamber looks like a freezer with a glass door that I can open at any time. All I have to do is get changed, pick a song, hop in and dance around for three minutes. These are the exact steps for those of you that are interested:
Fill in consent form
Change into the kit: shorts, sports bra, socks, slippers, gloves, a headband, and a face mask.
Choose a song – this is important because you get better results when you move in the chamber so it’s best to choose a song that gets you going.
Get your temperature – This is to check that your body reaches optimum levels of cold post treatment
Hop in the chamber
Get moving- You can either do your own movements (dance, stretch, breath, aerobics) or the Cryo therapist can stand in front of you and give you a routine (recommend for first time)
After 3 minutes- Step out and have your temperature taken and you are done!
Have you noticed any changes?
YES! I love cryotherapy because I feel like it helps me in so many ways. For those of you that know me, I’ve told you this story several times but this is when I knew I was hooked (skip the next paragraph if you just want to know what benefits I see):
“I was going on a beach vacation to Italy and I happened to do Cryo for five consecutive days before going. Mind you it was summer and I wasn’t being particularly healthy or working out as regularly as I do now. Normally when I go on vacation in the summer and first put on my bikini, I always feel like I could do with being a bit more toned and perhaps working on my diet and alcohol control. But this time I went on holiday and I couldn’t explain it, I didn’t feel thinner or necessarily more toned but I felt tighter and nice. I later realized it’s because cryo helps reduce toxins and excess liquids therefore tightening the body”
These are the benefits I’ve noticed from cryo:
skin tightening
muscle recovery
cellulite
calorie burning
mental clarity
relaxation
mood
Do you recommend it?
Absolutely! I feel that when used for overall wellness, along with healthy eating & exercise, it increases results significantly. The downside is that it is kind of pricey (£95 for one session although it’s much cheaper if you buy packages).
For those of you in London who want to try CRYO use my code NATCRYO40 to get your first session for £40 (instead of £95)
Let me know what you think and if you’ve tried it!
The post Why I can’t get enough of Cryotherapy (Coldtherapy) appeared first on Natalia Ambrosia.