Making the decision to get to the gym requires discipline and will power. So how can you make it a bit easier on yourself? Get excited to get dressed in your new workout clothes! Athletic apparel comes and all shapes and sizes, and there is a piece of clothing for nearly every body type and type of workout. So how can you navigate the waters of workout wear? Take a look at this style guide for workout support clothing: Sports bras When it comes to clothing items that are difficult to buy, sports bras are right up there with party dresses and bathing suits. So how can you ensure you are making the right decision on a sports bra? The tip is to buy according to your body type. Women come in all shapes and sizes, and thankfully, so do sports bras. Your sports bra should be outrageously comfortable, so don’t settle for anything less. After all, your workout should get you out of your comfort zone (In a good way), not your athletic clothing. Here are important considerations when shopping for a sports bra: • Material • Cup Size • Level of Support • Racerback/Wide Straps • Compression/Encapsulation • Pullover/Back Clasps An Athletic Shoe for Every Outing You wouldn’t wear heels when walking your dog, and you wouldn’t wear boots to the beach – these are pretty basic rules of footwear. You probably also know that you should wear athletic shoes when working out; however, it may surprise you to know that type of shoe matter significantly on the type of workout you are taking part in. Runners It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that if you are planning on going running, you should wear running shoes. These shoes typically feature a significant amount of cushion on the bottom and inside the sole area. They are designed to reduce the impact on your knees and joints and to keep you comfortable when running medium to long distances. While most people know that running shoes are good for running – they make the mistake of wearing running shoes for other athletic endeavors. Cross Trainers Have you ever taken a group exercise class such as Zumba or high intensity interval training? These can be excellent to increase your flexibility, endurance, and to keep you motivated. However, if you plan to make fitness classes a part of your normal routine, then purchasing a cross training shoe is a must! They offer a stable surface for complex movements, jumping, and body weight exercises. Although running shoes can be used in this type of environment, they are less effective and present a higher risk of injury. Weightlifting Shoes The most stable of all of the training shoes, weightlifters are the perfect shoe to wear on strength training days. If you think that these shoes are only for bulky powerlifters, think again. A great weightlifting shoe will give you the stability to lift more weight and activate the muscles you are trying to work. How can I put this in simple terms? Weightlifting shoes give you the stability to perform squats with challenging weight and great form – which is the key to a better butt. Compression Shorts Whether you are running, biking, lifting weights, or any other physical activity, compression shorts can have a variety of benefits. Besides being ridiculously comfortable in almost any situation, compression shorts can help you to look and feel thinner, support your glutes, and wick the sweat away from your body. Remarkably enough, compression shorts can also have an effect in helping your muscles recover from a workout. They have been proven to have an effect on reducing pain and swelling and reducing recovery time after workouts by removing lactic acid.

8 Things That Aren’t Crunches Did you know: you would have to do 17,500 sit-ups to burn a single pound of fat? Yes, you read that right – but luckily we came up with a few alternatives to getting perfectly toned abs. Everyone wants to have that perfect beach body, but there’s more to a toned stomach than thousands of crunches. Here are the 8 ways to get the body you want, without ever doing a single crunch: Cut the sugar Sugar tastes good, but it looks bad. After eating sugar, your body is given a quick boost of energy; however, unless your body uses this energy, it is going to store it as fat. Most of us know that sugar is bad excess, but cutting it out can be harder than you think. In fact, some of the foods that we think are good for us, like milk, yogurt, and apples, are actually very high in sugar. Drink more…Water Drinking water is a very important part of any weight loss – not only does it keep you from over eating, but it also jump starts your metabolism. Try drinking a gallon of water a day; this keeps your stomach full and your waist thin. Drink less…Alcohol Make no mistake about it – alcohol is destroying your six-pack dreams. When your body consumes alcohol, it stops burning fat until it has purged your bloodstream of all alcohol. On top of this, most adult beverages are full of sugar and carbs. Work out your legs That’s not a typo – working on your legs can actually be one of the best ways to uncover your abs. Your legs contain some of the largest muscles in your body and they are key to burning fat. Try strength training exercises such as squats, lunges, and calf raises. Besides, what beach body would be complete without the perfect legs to match? Cut Processed foods As it turns out, a six-pack has a lot more to do with diet than exercise. Artificial ingredients are very difficult for your body to break down; they slow your metabolism and make it increasingly difficult to burn fat. Stop eating grease Wouldn’t you rather be lathering your toned body with oil than eating it? Greasy foods are difficult for your body to breakdown and they are full of calories – a deadly combo when you’re trying to lean out. Often times, restaurants use far too much oil in their cooking, so ask your server if the entrée can be made without oil. After making this a habit, you won’t miss the grease and your taste buds will be free to savor the real flavor of an entrée. Be active Even if you can’t commit to a rigorous 5-day workout routine, everyone can make a commitment to being more active. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk instead of taking the car, or take advantage of other opportunities to be active. Cool sculpting So what can you do when diet and exercise aren’t enough? Thankfully, a procedure known as Cool Sculpting has been remarkably successful in getting rid of that stubborn fat. The process works by dropping the temperature of fat cells and freezing the cells away. The fact of the matter is, everyone has a six-pack underneath excess stomach fat; Cool Sculpting gets rid of the excess fat, revealing your beautifully toned abs. Imagine that – no crunches, no sit-ups, just results. At Pars, we’ve used this procedure to help women experience the confidence of a flat tummy, without a single crunch! Call us at 1.888.886.1333 to learn more about the ways cool sculpting can help you.

4 Ways to Get Rid of Stubborn Fat Stubborn fat – no matter what you do, it seems like it’s nearly impossible to get rid of. As you’re working towards your fitness and health goals, it’s easy to stay the course and remain motivated, but if your pudge won’t budge, you need to think outside the box. Of course we all know that diet and exercise are the best ways to burn fat, but what can you do when it isn’t enough? Try these 4 ways to get rid of stubborn fat: Confuse Your Muscles Some women are committed to a strict fitness routine, which is a healthy habit, but it might be working against you! Sometimes it is necessary to mix up your workout routine in order to confuse your muscles. Your body will adapt to your workouts after an extended period of time – so, if you want to burn that stubborn fat, it’s time to switch it up. Try mixing in some isometric exercises in order to work your muscled in new way. Fasted Training Diet and exercise are crucial components to fat loss; but as it turn outs, the time of day that you workout is also important. When you burn calories, your body is using one of two sources for energy: food or fat. So how can you ensure that your body is burning off stored fat? Try fasted cardio workouts. When you go to sleep at night, your body goes into a fasted state – therefore, a morning run can be just the thing you need to blast that stubborn fat away. Drink More Water Drinking water can work wonders for your waistline. First of all, when you drink more water, you drink less soda, alcohol, café lattes, and all the other drinks that are full of artificial ingredients and sugar. Making a simple switch to drinking water can cut hundreds of calories out of your diet. Once you make the switch to water, drink up! Hydration aids digestion and helps burn fat. Drinking water will boost your metabolism and keep you from overeating – it’s a simple switch, but it can make a huge difference. Cosmetic Surgery Where can you turn when eating right and working out aren’t giving you the results you deserve? Try cosmetic surgery. Safe and effective procedures have helped millions of women remove their stubborn fat. Plastic surgery has never been more popular than today! Procedures such a liposuction, cool sculpting, and the tummy tuck have helped women achieve the results that they have always dreamed of. No matter what has held you back in the past, make a decision today to get rid of that stubborn fat! With these 4 tips, you’ll be saying good riddance to that the flab that has overstayed it’s welcome. Call us to schedule your consultation today – 1.888.886.1333.    

Every year you can count on a few things: taxes in April, fireworks in July and of course, Christmas parties in December.  Holiday parties come in all shapes and sizes, but this time of year, we are still looking to maintain our shape and size. So whether you’re headed off to a corporate event or a family party, here is the guide to healthy eating at holiday parties: 1.    Eat before you go When it comes to eating right, it’s much easier to avoid cravings if your stomach isn’t growling in the sight of a delectable apple pie. One great way to avoid this feeling is to eat a healthy meal or snack before attending the party.  This may seem counter-intuitive if you’re attending a dinner event, but you can still eat a healthy lunch and breakfast if you plan to indulge at dinner. 2.    Have a game plan When attending a holiday party, it’s easy to get swept up in sugary sweets and adult beverages. But if you’re looking to make healthy decisions this time of year, you’re going to need a game plan. Don’t go into a party without setting guidelines for what you will and won’t part take in. If you’ve set a 1 dessert limit, then stick to it, you can do it! 3.    Be careful with alcohol What’s a party without a few drinks? But the trouble with alcohol is the way it encourages calories to be stored as fat. As you pace around the party mingling with guests over drinks, you may not realize how alcohol is affecting fat loss. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and is often loaded with sugar and carbohydrates. This combination is troublesome due to the fact that your body will choose to metabolize alcohol over other calories, causing your body to store additional calories as fat. 4.    Don’t over eat Holiday parties typically feature a selection of delectable treats and savory entrees. But there is a reason that these treats aren’t consumed all year round – moderation is key.  When attending a holiday party, enjoy yourself, but there’s no need to over-indulge.  A great tip to avoid overeating is to take your time. It takes your body around 20 minutes to realize you are full, so slow down, enjoy the party, and when you’re full, put the plate down. 5.    Don’t forget to enjoy yourself The Christmas season only comes around once a year; so don’t forget to enjoy yourself! It’s impossible to remain on a strict diet without any indulgence, especially around the holidays. Besides, all of the dieting in the world is pointless if you never allow yourself to have some fun. So grab a glass of wine and a plate of your favorites, and remember to enjoy the season with those you love! Although holiday parties are an annual tradition, adding extra weight doesn’t have to be. By following this guide you can be sure to look your best this holiday season!

Well, it’s that time of year again! The time of year when holiday treats are being passed around and our exercise consists of running around the mall to those last minute gifts. This time of year is meant to enjoy the company of loved ones, and of course, indulge in your favorite treats. From apple pie to alcohol, our social festivities are most frequently revolved around food. So how can we avoid gaining the dreaded holiday weight during this season but still enjoy ourselves? Well the good news is, you can have your (cheese)cake and eat it to – following these simple rules will help you keep the weight off this season: Everything in moderation Christmas parties are a great time to enjoy some of life’s greatest pleasures: great food, drink and company. Even though you are there to enjoy yourself, this is not a license to over-indulge and go on a binge. Before you go to a holiday party, have a game plan and decide what is acceptable and what is not. Eat slower to avoid overeating and check out these tips. Look at the Clock You’re not checking your watch for Santa; you’re looking at the time because when you eat food matters. Try to avoid eating too many carbohydrates right before bed. As a good rule, try not to eat carbs within 3 hours of sleeping. With late night dessert offering, this is easier said than done. Find the time to exercise Yes the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year, but there is always time for some type of exercise! Even if you don’t have time to run off to the gym, there is always something we can do to stay active. Want a fun way to burn some extra calories? Take a few minutes and try the 12 days of Christmas home workout. Eat your carbs around your workouts Sugar cookies, pie and cake are all traditions of the season, but did you know that if you eat these items before or after a workout then they are far less likely to be stored as fat. When your body is in a post workout state, it is a calorie burning machine, so that slice of pie is going straight to feed your muscles, not to fat storage. Create healthy dessert options This time of year, one of my favorite nutrition hacks is to make a healthy pumpkin pie and bring it to holiday parties. Start with a recipe on the label of a can of pumpkin. Then replace condensed milk with almond milk, and replace sugar with stevia extract. Bonus: use a whole-wheat crust from your local grocery store. Drink a lot of water The benefits of drinking water are two fold. It helps you stay full and avoid overeating, and it aids in digestion. Drink a tall glass of water when you wake up and before meals, you will be happy you did. Come New Year’s Day, you’ll have a leg up on all the other new years resolutions. A Word About Alcohol Gingerbread beer and holiday wines are staples, but make no mistake about it; this may be the biggest danger to your waistline this time of year. When your body ingests alcohol, your metabolism switches from burning calories to metabolizing alcohol. What does this mean? It means that until all of the alcohol is out of your system, you won’t be burning the calories you ate, this means it is highly likely that these calories will be stored as fat. However, there are ways to limit the effects of alcohol on your figure. Limit your consumption to one or two drinks and choose wisely: the best thing you can drink is a distilled vodka or gin mixed with soda water, the worst is a probably a heavy beer. Check out more tips on drinking without gaining weight here. Eat nutritious with non-festive meals The total calories you eat in a week are more important than a single day, so be sure to balance everything out with healthy choices. When you’re not at a party or dinner, eat particularly clean in an attempt to balance out your nutrition. Don’t let a bump in the road, knock you off of the road If you have one too many pieces of cheesecake, or a few too many drinks, don’t let this derail your holiday eating game plan. If you strayed from your original eating intentions, just do better next time! Don’t stress about it! It’s called a holiday for a reason! This time of year is meant to be relaxing, so enjoy it! If you want a second helping of pie then go for it. Make your decision and don’t stress about it. Stress has been linked to weight gain, so be at piece (pun intended) and enjoy the pie. Stop Tasting! If you’re cooking and constantly sampling your creation it can quietly add hundreds of calories to your diet. Skip the tasting and enjoy your creation after! Organize holiday activities Need to burn those extra pastry calories? Try organizing events with families that can keep everyone active. Maybe a friendly touch football game with the family, or sign up for a holiday 5k race. However you decide to spend the holidays, be sure to enjoy it. And if you need a little help before or after the holidays to look good, that’s why PARS is here. Set up a consultation today to learn more, call us at 1.888.886.1333.