Scoop: Is passive slimming for real?

We live in a world where everything is instant... instant coffee, instant money, instant sex. And now, it is instant weight loss too. From slimming belts to weight-loss pills, slimming parlours across the country offer a variety of passive weight loss techniques. Sauna belts and massage chairs are also offered by private companies.

Common passive slimming techniques

* Slimming belts

* Slimming tablets (herbal and allopathic)

* Electro-reflexologists (shoe insole and finger bands)

* Massage chairs

* Slimming apparel (trimming swimwear).

Effective or Not?

Though passive slimming techniques help you reduce weight almost instantly, doctors advise against it. The reasons being long-term health hazards and short-term weight loss.

"Passive slimming helps you lose weight quickly but weakens the elasticity of the skin. Vitamins and nutrients are also lost from the body," says nutritionist Dr. Naini Setalwad.

The faster you lose weight, the quicker are the chances of putting it on again. "Ideally, you are supposed to lose about 2 kgs in a month," says Dr. Naini.

Physiotherapist Dr. Ketan Parmar agrees that weight loss should not be sudden. "The metabolic rate should be raised. This should be done through moderate exercise and proper diet, avoiding junk food and eating at regular times," he says.

Products such as sauna belts, which use stimulating currents can be harmful to the internal organs. Due to the excessive mechanical stress of the techniques, the tissues can be injured. According to Dr Setalwad, the currents used by the belts may lead to irritation and skin damage.

Unlike active exercise, passive slimming techniques only generate heat externally. So the muscles are not exercised and the metabolic rate stays the same.

"Using techniques like sauna belts will not increase bone density, which can be otherwise achieved through proper exercise. Less bone density can lead to osteoporosis at a later stage," says Dr. Parmar. According to him, the best way to keep fit is through cardio-vascular exercises.

Think Twice, Choose Well

Without constant exercise and a healthy diet,you are most likely to put on weight once done with a particular passive slimming technique.

Your safest bet is good ole active exercise. But if you must go in for passive slimming, choose your weight loss centre carefully with qualified professionals. Make sure that you know what the technique involves, its side effects as well as any potential risks involved.