Jennifer Aniston may look like the Michelin Man, dressed in a colossal, baggy pair of trousers, but the 54-year-old actress has never been seen with even a hint of cellulite – and we may now know her secret.
The star shared a series of photos on Instagram last week, including one of her wearing compression pants, a medical-grade treatment that delivers a highly effective massage that stimulates the body’s lymphatic system.
Ms. Aniston has never been shy about sharing the weirdest aspects of her health and fitness — but the weirdest thing about these giant pants is that the treatment actually works.
Regime: Jennifer Aniston, 54, took to Instagram last week to share a glimpse of her post-workout routine as she wore compression pants for a lymphatic drainage massage
Ms Aniston has never been shy about sharing the weirdest aspects of her health and fitness
I know, I’ve tried them on many times and will happily slip into a pair whenever I get the chance. Here’s why.
Compression therapy, or pressotherapy as it is popularly known, may be famous on the A-list for eliminating cellulite, but it comes from a serious treatment used for people with lymphedema (swelling from lymph retention in the extremities) or who have this swelling after the cancerous lymph nodes have been removed.
Lymph is a clear fluid that runs through our body and its role is to remove excess fluid and toxins. The lymphatic system is a bit like the blood system, except the blood has the heart pumping it and the lymph doesn’t, so to keep the lymph flowing we have to move.
Too much inactivity, and the lymph stagnates.
These leggings contain a number of overlapping compartments that steadily inflate, sequentially, from the bottom of the leg to mimic muscle action, gently pushing lymph up the legs to the lymph nodes behind the knees and in the groin. , which shift lymphatic waste to the bladder.
It is also said to reduce fatigue and bloating. The brand I tried, and the one most commonly available in the UK, is called The Body Balancer (yes, with two Ls).
When you climb into the Ballancer bag/pants and zip them up, they come right up to your side.
You can choose a gentle drainage program or a more intense sports massage, then just lie back and try not to laugh as the flats inflate, secretly tightening your legs, calves, thighs, stomach, and then just when it gives you an unsettling cobra – hug your ribs, the pressure drops and then starts again at the ankles. It’s very relaxing once you get used to it.
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You can have the treatment at a salon or clinic from around £100 or, if you’re feeling flush, you can buy a system to use at home.
Jules Willcocks, who distributes the systems in the UK, found that during the lockdown, a surprising number of high-net-worth individuals saw the £8,000 the machines cost as a worthwhile investment.
Do pants make a difference? Absolutely. After just one session, my belt is always looser.
As for cellulite, a few years ago I was loaned a Ballancer for a fortnight and I got on it every night and was amazed to see the dimples on my back disappear.
Alas, it came back as soon as I stopped the treatments. I guess Ms. Aniston has her own Ballancer system. Lucky Jen.
