As Shreya climbed onto the weighing scale, a wave of anxiety rocked her, as it always did in such moments. A tiny reckoning in the works. The 27-year-old copywriter had even skipped lunch in preparation for this consultation, and her stomach grumbled in defiance.

After taking her height and weight measurements, the VLCC wellness counselor did a body-composition analysis and announced her verdict: Shreya could get leaner by reducing fat and acquiring more muscle mass.

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She was presented with three options: laser trimming sessions, lipolysisA natural, metabolic process within the human body where lipids (fats) are broken down—triggered by fasting, exercise, and hormone signaling, and cryolipolysis (often known as cool sculpting). Of course, the choice depended on how much weight she wanted to lose, but only cryolipolysis—the most expensive of the lot—promised permanent fat reduction. It cost Rs 37,000 per session, and would take 3–4 sessions to lose 5 kgs.

“After the consultation, I thought Ozempic will be cheaper and reduce my weight faster. But then I also read that patients end up gaining that lost weight back.