Being made to feel like a pneumatic drill and saying goodbye to chocolate may not be everyone's cup of tea but it sure as hell works. The days of spending hours slogging away on a treadmill while a pumped up gym instructor shouts ‘harder, faster, longer’ has thankfully been replaced by something far more appealing – achieving a slender body, in half the time (and with friendlier instructors to spur you on). Power Plates is a secret that the A list have been harbouring to themselves and it's finally found a following in the UK.

So, armed with a plan to do Power Plates three times a week and follow the Soulmate food’s challenge I started on a 12-week health regime to see if it really is possible to achieve a slim physique after the festive pig-out.

It started with a trip to Harrods – well a girl needs a designer gym kit. And once she’s found it she needs somewhere classy to show it off which is where the department store’s Power Plate studio comes in. Revered by celebs such as The Minogue sisters and Claudia Schiffer, The Power Plate is a genius invention that helps you shed the pounds in a fun way. You stand on a platform that vibrates while you hold different exercise positions for up to a minute, targeting all your problem areas. Sound easy? It is, kind of

At my initial induction with a personal trainer, I had a full body assessment to reveal which areas I needed to target. Then to a 25-minute session of WBV (whole body vibration) whist doing squats, stretches, curls, and crunches. To say I ached was an understatement. The Power Plate promises you the benefits of one hour of exercise in less than 30 minutes - less time = more pain. The principle works by transferring vibrations to your muscles which activate your reflexive muscles to contract. It's low impact but as Cougar Town star Courtney Cox swears, ‘I know that every muscle in my body is being ignited in ways that you can’t do with regular training.’ This explains why it’s not suitable for every day use; I definitely needed my recovery time.

As my regime came to an end, I felt fitter, healthy and all round more lean. My thighs had toned up and my stomach was slightly more washboard. Does this mean I can don on my two-piece? You bet!

PLATE POWER
1 Start gradually. Beginners are advised to start with a nine minute resistance programme, followed by nine minutes of stretch, massage and relaxation, both on the lower frequency and amplitude settings.

2 Stand correctly. In order to develop strength, power, muscle tone and definition, it is essential to adopt a position that puts tension on the muscles. If you're doing a squat, have your knees bent and lean from the hips, as if you are about to sit on a chair. Vibration training stimulates the contraction of the muscle spindles, so it's important to keep your knees slightly bent to avoid jarring through the joints.

3 Keep your workout short. It’s enough to start with no more than 30-60 seconds on each exercise. This will reduce the duration of the workout, which is a real bonus for people who are time-short but crave results.

4 Combine your exercises. Choose a combination of compound exercises (such as squats and push-ups, which use more than one muscle group) and isolation exercises (biceps curls and front raises). You’ll get a better result, as well as increasing your potential calorie burn.

5 Drink enough water. Your muscles will be contracting 30-50 times more than usual, thereby generating a lot of internal heat, so even if you don't feel thirsty, always drink water while you're working out.

6 To start out your Power Plate plan, book an introductory session with a certified trainer at Plate Studio, Harrods, London SW1 (020-7893 8518). It costs £25 for a 25-minute session. Power Plates are also available at several
gyms nationwide.
• www.powerplate.com