Millie Mackintosh's yoga teacher's, cleansing aromatherapy massages with hot wax - Daily Mail

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• Champneys Tring runs a detox weekend with health expert Chris James
• Natasha Kaplinsky credits his cleanse with making her skin shiny
• Made In Chelsea's Rosie Fortescue says his drills made her feel 'amazing'

By Katy Winter for MailOnline

Published: 04:12 EST, 11 September 2015 | Updated: 05:23 EST, 11 September 2015


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To say I have dabbled in yoga would be something of an exaggeration, while my sister generally shuns most forms of exercise.

Thus we are not perhaps the two most likely candidates to try out a detox weekend and session with the master of cleansing and Yoga Master and Health & Wellbeing expert Chris James.

However, like many young professionals living in a city and working (and playing) hard, we were in severe need of professional help.

So, while we might have been a little sceptical as to the worth of detoxing, our exhausted bodies, greying skin and lifeless hair found ourselves on our way to Champneys Spa in Tring.

The original spa, Champneys have had a PR downturn in the last couple of decades, but have been under going some serious re-vamping of late.

We did our Mind Body Cleanse Yoga lesson in the shade of a tree in Champneys' stunning grounds

Despite having only done yoga a handful of times before, the session left me feeling seriously relaxed

Chris James patiently demonstrates one of the moves of his yoga routine -which involves lots of twisting moves to stimulate the gut

Millie Macintosh (whose body is motivation enough to try pretty much anything!) is a fan of Chris James's Mind Body Cleanse and yoga

Broadcaster Natasha Kaplinsky (left) credits his cleanse with making her skin shiny and her feel 'sparkling' while Made in Chelsea's Rosie Fortescue (right) claims it made her feel 'amazing'


Champneys Tring, situated just an hour out of London, has added a new Detox and Wellbeing centre to their already large spa and Thalassotherapy suite in a bid to attract the frazzled and overworked.

The 'Mind Body Cleanse' break is focused at those who are looking for a boost towards a healthier lifestyle and for those suffering from low immune systems, lethargy, stress or a poor diet - so, nearly every city dweller in the UK!

His yoga classes, learned through months of training in India, involve numerous twisting moves to stimulate the gut, which are deceptively difficult.

The small class size (three of us were patiently tutored by Chris under the shade of trees in the Champneys gardens) meant that Chris was able to individually guide us through each position.

We lucked out with the weather which allowed us to take full advantage of the truly spectacular grounds

The stunning old mansion house really couldn't make for a better setting to forget life's stresses

Despite the fact I have not been on a bike for over 10 years, and having to dismount and walk up some of the more challenging hills, the bike ride was amazing


The session focuses on exploring the relationship between the body and the gut, stimulating your digestion and peristalsis, lymphatic drainage and the body's bioelectric network.

Despite obviously being deeply spiritual, there was no stuffiness around the session which has previously put me off yoga. Chris even managed to smile graciously when my sister and I had a major attack of the giggles in the middle of the session.

And Chris has no shortage of celebrity fans willing to attest to the effectiveness of his methods.

As well as being the man behind the physique of the likes of Melissa Odabash and Millie Macintosh (whose body is motivation enough to try pretty much anything!)

Broadcaster Natasha Kaplinsky credits his cleanse with making her skin shiny and her feel 'sparkling' while Made in Chelsea's Rosie Fortescue claims it made her feel 'amazing' and 'find self-control she never thought she had.'

A highlight was renting bikes from the fitness centre and heading out across the fields


Chris also gave us personalized information on how to maintain digestive health, avoiding toxins and the correct way to combine foods in our everyday diet.

Mini laughter attack aside, the class certainly left us feeling lengthened, de-stressed, and oddly flat-stomached.

While the spas offering is obviously immense at Champneys, with our aim of a serious de-stress in mind, we opted for the signature Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength treatment.

Unlike any treatment either of us had had before, this starts with a frankincense steam inhalation, followed by warm paraffin wax being poured onto your massaged palms and the soles of your feet.

While the wax cools and sets the therapist does a nurturing massage of the back, face and scalp with Inner Strength Body Oil, which all-in-all leaves you feeling rather like warm putty dissolved on the massage table - amazing.

Our guts suitably rebooted, fully relaxed and feeling ever-so-virtuous, we were free to enjoy everything else Champney's has to offer.

We lucked out with the weather which allowed us to take full advantage of the truly spectacular grounds.

Champney's Tring is set in 170 acres of rolling parkland - a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air for two city girls whose usual weekly exposure to greenery comes from the pot plants in the office.

A highlight was renting bikes from the fitness centre (the only time we used its extensive facilities) and heading out across the fields and exploring the country roads surrounding the spa.

Despite not having been on a bike for over 10 years, and having to dismount and walk up some of the more challenging hills, it was a great way to while away a few hours.

Not to give the impression we were entirely virtuous. While we wanted to re-boot, we obviously didn't want to 'over do' the whole detox thing. As well as spending hours lying horizontal on the outdoor beds or relaxing in the outdoor jacuzzi, we both drank wine with our evening meal (the only time alcohol is served at Champneys).

And speaking of the meals, food is a highlight. Breakfast and lunch are both buffet style with an eye watering array of choice - from super green and raw options to healthier versions of old favourites like Shepard's Pie. Plus everything has the calories and nutritional information displayed per serving spoonful.

We stayed in one of the twin rooms in the original mansion house which contained seriously comfy beds

A starter of light smoked salmon mouse from the delicious a la carte dinner menu


Dinner is three courses served a la carte (with optional wine!). Seriously gourmet, there are still all the trimmings of a normal restaurant meal - but made healthier. The bread served before your meal is a thin flute of bread so you eat less, served with things like beetroot or apple butter, or humus.

A word of warning - the 'light' menu is, as you might expect for an option that boasts three courses for under 600 calories, seriously small. We did have a good laugh when, inspired to be healthy on my first night, my entire starter arrived inside a single shot glass - including three large cherry tomatoes!

Post dinner the gorgeous old mansion house, with its several plush living rooms, is available to lounge around in, but we tended to head up to our room.

With massive seriously luxe twin beds, sofas, a bath you could swim in and water pressure to die for combined with panoramic views over the grounds, the room alone helped us forget the stresses of commuting and cramped rental accommodation.

We ended our mere two days at Champneys genuinely feeling as relaxed as after a week-long holiday - having only used one day of our precious holiday allowance!

TRAVEL FACTS


Day Spa breaks start at £59 with overnight stays starting at £109 at Champneys across the UK.

Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength treatment: Price £69.00 Duration 55 minutes

Chris James' Mind Body Cleanse at Champneys Forest Mere costs £450 and includes two nights accommodation, all juices and smoothies for the programme, workshops and yoga.



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