New workout machine promises to melt inches

Voorhees, N.J. - February 8, 2010 (WPVI) -- Courtney Sohacki, of Collingswood, New Jersey, is a true believer in a new-age looking elliptical machine called VacuFit.

"My jeans were definitely a little loser," she said. Courtney used the machine as instructed for 20 sessions (That's 30 minutes four to five times a week for four weeks.)

With that, VacuFit claims to shave off three to nine inches off your hips, belly, buttocks and thighs, plus smooth cellulite.

Courtney says she lost "an inch in each left, an inch from my hips and an inch from my waist. And then smoother- the back of my legs are much , much smoother."

So how does it work? First you have to put on a neoprene skirt. It helps to create a vaccum-like environment from the waist down. Tom O'Brien is co-owner of VersaFit in Voorhees, New Jersey. It's the only gym in the country with the VacuFit. He said the vacuum speeds results.

"What that does is it dialates your blood vessels which increases blood flow which will increase oxygen flow which accelerates the fat burn four times as fast if you were not walking in a vacuum environment," he said.

But because other fitness experts are skeptical, we put it to the test.

Action News asked Marisa Malts, of Voorhees, to try VacuFit. Marisa already works out almost every day. We had her measured and asked her to just switch her cardio to vacufit.

"It feels like you are walking in water or as if someone is trying to hold you back," she said during her first session.

Marisa did 20 sessions over four weeks. She lost nine inches! Two and a half in each thigh, two inches from her hips and two inches from her waist.

Marisa said she was blown away. Personal trainer Jared Carter of moveforwardfitness is also surprised. He said while it worked well for Marisa and Courtney, it may not have such dramatic effects for everyone. And whether it's the vacuum environment that made the difference, he's not so sure.

"I think if it did you'd see it in a lot of other " Plus he said the research backing VacuFit is a bit skimpy. He thinks the real reason Marisa lost nine inches is because she changed her routine and gave her body a new challenge. "If you've done the same thing forever and ever, your body gets very efficient at it so you don't see the results as much so whenever you make a change, all the sudden people will lose a dress size or five pounds or something like tha," he said.

But even O'Brien said he was skeptical at first. Now he said after seeing client after client trim down, he shares their excitement.

"I just kind of feel leaner if that makes sense all over if that makes sense," Marisa said, adding, " I can't say enough good things about it."

O'Brien said VacuFit is not just for women, it's for men too. Some athletes also use it for intense training. It costs $200 for the recommended 20 sessions and you do not have to join the gym to use the machine. For more information, visit:www.versafitstudio.com

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new jersey, voorhees, weight loss, women's health, healthcheck

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