What if getting a massage made you lose weight? Okay — it doesn’t. But it helps!
As a massage therapist, I make it my business to set you up for success by putting you in the proper mental and physical space to effectively diet and exercise. Weight loss can be labor intensive, yet, when massage is incorporated into your weight-loss plan, there’s suddenly an element of self-care that wasn’t there before. In my experience, massage therapy can make the process of weight loss more positive, encouraging you to stick with it. Believe me, even if you can’t see it happening, I can tell you from visit to visit when your muscles are becoming firmer, when arms are taking on more shape, and when you need relief from the constant (good) soreness that becomes a routine part of your life.
Massage actually makes exercise easier. No joke. Massage therapy keeps muscles tuned up, eliminates muscle tension before it turns into an injury, and reduces delayed onset muscle soreness. When it feels good to be in your body, it makes it easier and more fun to sculpt it.
Massage can also alleviate chronic pain, leading to an improved quality of life as well as the ability to make better choices with regard to food and activities. Pain alleviation lowers stress levels — a major contributing factor to weight gain. Exercise, diet and regular massage can also help people wean themselves off pain drugs, another factor that keeps the pounds on.
When I know you are on a weight loss regimen, I make it a point to do manual lymphatic drainage, designed to reduce edema and swelling in ankles and legs. It also helps your mid-section stop retaining water, flushing out the extra fluid and making you feel less puffy. Beyond the physical results, researchers noted high increases in quality of life due to stress reduction. Those of us who practice lymphatic drainage massage typically hold a special certification for it.
Postural balancing is another of my specialities that aids in body transformation No matter how skinny you are, if your shoulders slump forward, the rest of your body will have a tougher time getting into shape. You’ll also be more prone to rotator cuff injuries and headaches. When I open up the pectoral area and release the base of the skull, the shoulder blades can slide together behind the back and the neck can lengthen. It’s simply amazing how different you look and feel when I’m done. I also have techniques that can re-align your pelvic tilt, leaving you with a longer waist and more flattering abs.
No masseuse should promise that you’ll lose weight by getting massages and none of us should offer nutrition or fitness advice without the proper credentials. There are plenty of people we can refer you to for those specialties. But if you make massage a part of your overall fitness regimen, factors can work in tandem to make a big difference in how you look as well as feel about yourself.