Wrapping the body doesn't do much to help you lose weight fast. Actually, this practice doesn't really help you lose weight at all, especially long-lasting. Even if you wrap the body before hitting the gym, you're not going to see any real benefit to fat loss. You may feel and, sometimes, look thinner, but the results are temporary.
Body Wraps
For all intents and purposes, wrapping is the practice of covering the body in linens, bandages, plastic or elastic in combination with the topical application of minerals, herbs, enzymes and amino acids. The body is then heated, causing the pores to open and thereby releasing toxins and melting away the fat -- at least this is what many practitioners want you to believe.
Effects
Most of the solutions can help moisturize the skin, and the process itself can make you feel much more relaxed, but you're not actually burning fat. Any weight loss you experience from a body wrap is probably the result of water weight. Much like the effect a sauna has on the body, a wrap causes you to perspire, which means you're losing fluid at a faster rate than normal. This may cause you to drop a pound or two. But as soon as you drink anything, you're going to see added weight on the scale.
Caloric Deficit
For you to lose any amount of weight, it requires a caloric deficit. It takes a deficit of right around 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of fat. Two factors influence this deficit. The first is your diet. If you eat fewer calories than your body burns, you're going to lose weight. The second is physical activity. If you burn more calories than you take in, you're also going to lose weight. Since you're not reducing your caloric intake or increasing your energy expenditure from a body wrap, it's doing nothing to actually burn fat.
Recommendation
Instead of spending any money on a body wrap in hopes of losing the weight, change your diet and increase your level of physical activity. Limiting the amount of food you put on your plate can help reduce your caloric intake. So can incorporating healthier foods into your diet, especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables, which are relatively low in calories. Also, try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
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