chronicles Fashion & Beauty
GET READY FOR YOUR WEDDING –
In Conversation with THIRTY-NINE Monte-Carlo, an exclusive Private Members’ Club offering a wellness programme designed for brides and grooms-to-be.
A bespoke programme to nurture and prep the body, mind and soul for the Big Day
by Giorgia Torsello
THIRTY-NINE is an exclusive Private Members’ Club located in Monte Carlo in the heart of the French Riviera. Founded by athlete Ross Beattie, it’s a sophisticated oasis of wellness designed to stimulate and soothe the senses, balance the mind, body and soul, reconnect with one’s emotions, and – why not? – achieve that knockout dream body.
This wellness haven offers effective, bespoke solutions designed to meet the needs and goals of each individual, whether he or she is looking to relax, purify, detoxify, lose weight, rejuvenate, strengthen, tone, invigorate or energize. The Club offers wellness programmes to nurture the mind, body and soul, supported by state-of-the-art equipment, top-of-the- range skincare products and an expert team of qualified professionals in nutrition, fitness, physiotherapy and beauty.
We met with the Club’s team of experts to discover more about what makes it a leading club. We also wanted to learn more about the GET READY FOR YOUR WEDDING wellness programme, designed for brides and grooms to be who are finding wedding planning a stressful experience, and are eager to get back into shape. This bespoke programme takes a 360 approach to nurturing the mind, body and soul to prep for the Big Day and look more beautiful and radiant than ever, both inside and out.
Read on for the interview.
Q: How long before the Big Day would you recommend the bride and groom begin the GET READY FOR YOUR WEDDING fitness program?
We usually need about twelve weeks for a body transformation journey. That’s enough time to come up with a detailed plan and strategy.
Q: What does the program consist of?
Programs are tailored to each individual’s needs, so they vary greatly. We take numerous factors into consideration, including personal goals, any previous injuries, sporting interests, how much time each person has to dedicate to the program, and so on.
An initial assessment is crucial to determinate the best approach. Blood testing, nutritional behavior, postural analysis, fitness and mental health assessments are all essential to create the foundations of the program.
Q: How do you study the program that best suits the needs of each person?
Our philosophy is based on personalization. All our services, from beauty to sport and nutrition, begin with a detailed personal assessment. We don’t guess, we evaluate! Once we have the test results, we plan a bespoke program. Let’s say, for example, that we want to find out if your gut is working at its best, or if your body is producing enough insulin, a crucial hormone to lose fat and build muscle. A blood test will reveal any deficiencies or imbalances that will first need to be addressed with our nutritionist.
When it comes to structure, we, of course, don’t want to cause any injuries or trigger pain, so we analyze posture, working closely with experts in physiotherapy and osteopathy to make sure we don’t physically stress the body.
Q: What is the secret to reshaping the body?
Nutrition and consistency are essential to achieving results.
Preparing the body in advance is key to transforming the skin and/or body shape.
When brides begin to prep for their wedding, usually about a year or so beforehand, they often think about the ideal body shape for their wedding dress.
Our weight-loss programs look at several factors, including metabolism, natural body shape and personal goals. It can take at least six months to see long term results – sometimes more. Identifying why there is excess weight is key. The correct diagnosis is therefore vital to understanding the body and creating the perfect program that will offer tangible results.
We work with state-of-the-art health and wellness screening systems to analyze body composition and bioimpedance, galvanic skin responses, heart rate variability, and pulse waves.
The screening system evaluates overall health, shedding light on body composition, water balance and nutritional deficiencies, as well as assessing biological age, cardio fitness, limb microcirculation, and stress and fatigue levels, looking at high-risk factors and weight load on the spine, while also offering fitness and wellness Spa recommendations.
Whether with treatments or fitness sessions, consistency is key for a successful body transformation program. Taking a 360 approach that incorporates NUTRITION, TREATMENTS and SPORT is vital for success.
Q: Workout: In order to achieve visible results – a more toned, sculpted body and better posture – in a short period of time, how many times do you recommend training a week, depending on everyday commitments? Is some recovery important between workouts?
Depending on whether an individual already takes part in physical activity, I’d say 3 to 4 sessions a week are a good target. Recovery is important too. However, what should really be prioritized are nutrition and sleep – not necessarily a day off.
It’s important to bear in mind that we live in a sedentary world. Generally speaking, we don’t move enough. For me, it’s essential to keep moving every day, no matter what.
Q: Diet: What are your tips for losing weight quickly without constantly feeling hungry and without regaining lost weight soon after? Do we really need to give up tasty food and a few glasses of wine to shed those extra kilos?
There’s no secret formula to losing weight. It’s the result of a combination of actions tailored to the individual, along with his/her commitment to the program. Here are some suggestions:
1. Track Your Food: be aware of your daily calorie intake. Counting calories is easier than you think, and it’s a very effective way of controlling your daily intake.
2. Eat Breakfast: Breakfast is the easiest meal to prepare, and it sets the stage for your nutrition for the day. Have a wholesome breakfast and fire up your metabolism – you’re more likely to make healthy choices throughout the day.
3. Cut Calories, Not Nutrition: Change your normal eating habits to have 500 fewer calories and more fibre. This will ensure you eat nutritious food that will burn more energy and is easier to digest.
4. Cut Sugars!
5. Go High-Protein: Foods obtained from the leanest cuts of meat and poultry, along with fish, egg whites, beans and other low-fat, low-carb, high-protein options are proven to make you lose weight.
6. Drink More Water: The amount of water you need depends on your weight but aim to drink at least eight glasses a day. Forget about your diet soda and carry a bottle of water with you Drinking alcoholic beverages can slow down weight loss because your body burns alcohol before it burns carbs, protein and fat — including body fat. Alcohol also tends to increase appetite and decrease inhibitions, which may lead you to overeat without realizing.
7. Fill Up on Fruits and Veggies: If you fill up on fruit and vegetables every day, you’ll have less room for more fattening treats.
Q: Beauty Treatments: pampering that makes us feel good! Do you think that men are starting to see beauty treatments in a more relaxed, non-judgmental way? Which treatments would you recommend having in the run-up to a wedding for that glowing look?
Men are becoming increasingly open about taking care of themselves, both physically and mentally. Social networks and self-image are part of our daily lives – and they do encourage men to take more care of themselves. Beauty treatments are an interlude, offering a quiet moment for yourself – and they boost self-confidence. Our approach to beauty is all about personalization.
We take a scientific and medical approach to cosmetic treatments, an approach that men particularly like as our end goal is really to treat the skin, although it must be said that our treatments are very relaxing, too. We use skincare products that contain high concentrations of active serums, such as Biologique Recherche, a skincare brand that is highly result-oriented and successfully targets a wealth of skin problems. Biologique Recherche treatments always begin with a detailed skin analysis to tailor each treatment accordingly. We offer a wide range of treatments for men, including trimming and shaping eyebrows and removing unsightly nose hair. Our treatments use skincare ranges designed specifically with men in mind. Our Barber, for example, uses American Crew, a well-known grooming range that is much loved by our male customers.
When it comes to facial treatments, we strongly recommend a Second Skin Treatment before the wedding day as it plumps, lifts, hydrates and drains, giving the skin an amazing, radiant glow. This effective treatment stimulates the facial muscles to produce a toning and remodeling action, bringing radiance and tone to the skin. During the treatment, the therapist applies five patches of 80% hyaluronic acid to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and enhance firmness. This exclusive treatment is the most powerful and complete anti-aging facial that we offer.
Q: It’s increasingly said that the wellbeing of the mind and spirit determine the wellbeing of the body. How much does daily stress affect physical wellbeing? And how much strain does organizing an event like a wedding put on the body? What’s the best way to combat stress?
Stress is a killer. Stress is generally what will stop you reaching your goal. Stress is related to emotions, and emotions are what guide our actions. When you are stressed, you are in survival mode, and the last thing your body wants is to lose fat and build muscle.
Once again, nutrition and sleep are key. Meditation is also a very powerful tool. There are many ways to meditate, for example walking in nature, reading, playing sport, painting – anything that makes you live the present moment without thinking of the past or future.
Q: What sets you apart from every other fitness club in the world?
What makes us so special isn’t our program, and it’s not even our knowledge and experience. The over-riding factor is that we care. We care about wellbeing, health, and results. We invest everything we have in helping people reach whatever goal they have set themselves.
Our passion for success motivates us to leave no stone unturned. We chase reluctant individuals, sending them reminders NOT to reach for the biscuit tin when they can make better choices and be more physically active. We help in every possible way we can because we really care.
Q: What are the top three treatments you offer that cannot be found elsewhere?
That’s a difficult one! We have more than three…
In terms of sports and wellbeing, we offer:
– Light Stretch Therapy: a unique, assisted table-based stretching methodology. It combines light therapy with ear reflexology to help you fight stress, insomnia and more.
– Yoga Pilates Fusion: a special group class merging yoga and pilates, using a Pilates Reformer to improve mobility and posture.
– Zwift Technology: a group class featuring a virtual cycling route where users ride a bike at a recreated altitude of up to 3500m. This will improve your cardio for sure!
When it comes to beauty, the Club offers a range of unique treatments, such as:
– Body & Facial Treatment: a signature treatment featuring a one-hour back, head and neck massage, which ends with a 10-minute facial using ATP-38 infrared technology to boost cell regeneration. The treatment releases muscle tension in the face, resulting in radiant, glowing skin.
– Extreme Lifting: this exceptionally powerful 120-minute treatment energizes, lifts and exfoliates, ‘resetting’ the skin of the body and face by using a potent combination of silica powder and hyaluronic acid. The therapist stimulates muscles using the famous Jacquet Leroy ‘pinching massage’ technique, with quick, firm movements designed to stimulate the lymphatic system. The treatment flushes out impurities, leaving the skin feeling silky smooth and toned. Legs feel drained and lighter, with soft, plump skin, while the face is completely lifted. Facial results can be optimized using the Biologique Recherche Remodeling Face Machine that uses three electric currents to simultaneously lift and plump the skin, allowing active ingredients to penetrate deeply into the skin to accelerate epidermal reconstruction.
– Seaweed Detoxifying Treatment: this 90-minute ritual drains the body and purifies the skin. The treatment begins with a gentle exfoliation to prepare the skin; the therapist subsequently carries out an energetic massage of the stomach area – our second brain – to stimulate lymphatic draining, before moving on to the legs to increase lymph flow. The body is coated with a seaweed and essential oil wrap and covered with a heated blanket to encourage the body to sweat out impurities. As the wrap works its magic, the therapist carries out a relaxing face and scalp massage. The treatment drains the body of excess water to leave the skin detoxified and purified. It’s hugely relaxing and is a great way to begin a weight-loss program. Before the treatment begins, we strongly recommend applying an Oribe haircare repair booster to hydrate, nourish and smooth. At the end of the treatment, our hairdresser will wash and blow dry your hair – you’ll leave the studio feeling fresh and radiant.