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.
Mommy Makeover: Get Your Body Back After Your Baby
Having a baby is an incredible experience that changes a woman’s life in every possible way, including major changes to her body. If you have recently given birth, you may feel unhappy with the extra weight you are carrying, lack of muscle tone, and sagging breasts. Although these bodily changes are normal after having a baby, many women feel discouraged and want to get back to their pre-baby body as soon as possible. Women who were at a healthy weight before becoming pregnant should be able to get back to it within around three months of giving birth. The process could take a year if you were significantly overweight prior to pregnancy. In either case, doctors urge you to tread lightly for at least the first six weeks postpartum. You are still recovering from the birth itself and trying to do too much too soon could set you back. It requires a firm commitment to eating right and getting exercise regularly, both of which can be hard to do under normal circumstances, let alone with a newborn in the house. Here are some tips for helping you get back to yourself after the baby comes. Start by Walking Whenever You Can If the weather permits, put your new baby in a stroller and walk around the block a couple of times. If that is manageable, try to go for a little longer the next way. Try to work up to 20 minutes and eventually aim for a goal of 30 minutes. You should strive for up to 30 minutes of walking three to five times a week. This burns approximately 150 calories and builds up your tolerance for more strenuous exercise. Don’t Forget Strength Training If your stomach looks and feels flabby several weeks after your baby’s birth, consider adding strength training to your workout routine. You can take up weight training with a personal trainer, but you don’t even have to leave the house for strength training. Look for opportunities in everyday events, such as doing lunges as you push your baby’s stroller. You can even incorporate your newborn into your routine by doing lunges while holding him or her. Watch Your Diet and Get as Much Sleep as Possible New moms should do their very best to stay away from foods that don’t provide any nutritional value, such as chips and soda. The most important thing you can do to stay healthy and get back into shape is eat a balanced diet. Every day, try to include fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products in your diet. This is especially important if you breastfeed your new baby. Finally, drink as much water as you can to stay hydrated throughout the day. Rest is important, too! Try to take advantage of the times your newborn is sleeping to get caught up on sleep yourself. Even just spending the time while your wee one is napping resting your eyes and putting your feet up will help you feel refreshed and restored when your baby wakes up. The Mommy Makeover If diet and exercise alone aren’t enough to give you the results you desire, another option is the Mommy Makeover. This is a series of plastic surgery procedures that help you reduce stretch marks and unwanted body fat. Two of the possibilities include a tummy tuck with liposuction or a breast lift with the added option of breast implants. However you choose to bounce back after having a baby, remember that you are worth it. You need to take care of yourself so you can care for your baby.
What’s the Difference Between Liposuction and a Tummy Tuck?
While you may think liposuction and a tummy tuck are one and the same, there are actually a few differences between the two. It all has to do with the abdominal wall, whether or not you have excess fat and whether loose skin is present after extreme weight loss or pregnancy. Depending on your situation, your plastic surgeon will recommend one or the other. Let’s take a look at what makes the two procedures different and what their respective recovery times are. Tummy Tuck If you have recently lost a lot of weight and are left with excessive loose skin on your stomach, a tummy tuck—technically called abdominoplasty—may be order. This procedure involves removing excess fat and skin and restoring weakened or separated muscles for a smoother and firmer belly, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. While many people strive to get a tighter stomach through diet and exercise, this isn’t always possible due to several factors, such as age, heredity, extreme weigh fluctuations and past pregnancy. As a result, many people—particularly older women—enlist the help of a plastic surgeon to address the sagging skin and pull it tighter. Liposuction This procedure is a bit different in that it’s not quite as invasive as an abdominoplasty. Liposuction is a process that removes small bulges of fat—not cellulite—which diet and exercise can’t fix; the procedure is most commonly performed on the hips, stomach, abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and face, according to WebMD. Candidates for this procedure should be of average weight with firm skin and concentrated pockets of fat. Liposuction can be done in the doctor’s office or at an outpatient facility. The doctor performing the surgery makes small incisions to remove fat through the insertion of a suction device. Liposuction usually requires only local anesthetic, while a tummy tuck entails general anesthesia. Cosmetic Results The overall result of both procedures is largely the same but with a few small differences. One difference is that a tummy tuck can effectively remove stretch marks and other scars because some skin is actually removed. With liposuction, no skin is removed—only fat is suctioned out. That’s why liposuction is best for those who already have tight abdominal muscles with firm skin tone. A tummy tuck will tighten up the abdomen and smooth out the skin to result in a tighter stomach. Your doctor will let you know which procedure is best for your body type. Generally, older women who have had babies and need to tighten up their abdominal muscles, as well as remove sagging skin, are good candidates for tummy tucks. Those who want to remove fat from their stomachs but don’t need abdominal tightening are better candidates for liposuction. Recovery time for a tummy tuck can be up to four times longer than for liposuction. The procedure is also much more invasive and presents more risks. Be sure to always get a consult with a plastic surgeon to go over all possible options before undergoing surgery. You can contact us today for a complimentary consultation!
Getting into shape for that bikini
Getting into shape for bikini season doesn’t just require commitment; it requires knowledge. There are people who wake up every day and perform an endless routine of crunches and sit-ups, chasing that bikini body that always seems to elude them. Without knowledge, even the strongest commitment will wane when no results are forthcoming. It’s time to make your sure your natural excitement about working out is rewarded this summer. Here are just a few tips for getting into shape for bikini season. Water Adds Natural Resistance One of the best workouts out there is entirely dependent on the medium: water. Taking a brisk walk to get your blood pumping is great exercise for the beginner; doing this same workout with half of your body underwater increases the resistance and ratchets it up to an elite workout. The results of a dedicated water-walk or jog can be exceptional; you’re essentially weightlifting with every move as you fight the water’s subtle resistance. Although walking underwater will help you shed fat to get that bikini body and significantly improves your cardiovascular health, many people think of it as a primarily rehabilitative exercise. It certainly helps athletes recuperate and the disabled strengthen their muscles, but make no mistake, it’s good for everyone. If you can locate a gym or swim center with underwater treadmills, all the better, but a simple swimming pool, lake or dip at the beach will do. Combine High-Intensity Workouts to Burn Fat Vigorously Since it’s now widely known that you can’t simply target the fat on your body and work out just those regions, find your favorite workouts and do several of them in a single routine. For example, if you like to work out your triceps with pull-downs, biceps with curls, and latissimus dorsi with lat-pull-downs, combine them. Do the triceps first, since it’s the biggest muscle group on your arms, then rest just a few seconds before moving on to the other two in succession. This counts as single set. Repeat 3-4 times and you’ll feel the burn that tells you you’re really working out. The point is, compound exercises are the straightest line to that bikini body. Naturally Compound Exercises An alternative to using several different exercises to sculpt and shape that bikini body is to choose naturally difficult workouts that recruit as many muscle fibers as possible. Because your legs work in tandem in almost everything they do, it should come as no surprise that squats and deadlifts dominate here. People tend to skip these workouts in the gym precisely because they’re so taxing, but it’s this taxing effort that will burn off the unwanted fat faster than anything else you do. To perform squats and deadlifts correctly, start out with just your body weight to get a feel for the right form, then add weight incrementally. It’s often useful to ask a trainer at the gym to show you the proper form first time, or consult online videos and practice the form at home. These workouts will have you strutting around with a toned physique in no time at all. Man or woman, your body will be ready to hit the beach in no time.
How to Get Healthy, Glowing Skin
Healthy and glowing skin doesn’t just happen. Even those blessed with the creamy, soft skin that everyone craves will need to take good care of it in order to keep it looking its best as they age. Remember: the skin is the body’s first line of defense against environmental toxins, and toxins exiting the body through the skin can cause imperfections and skin break-outs. This is also a solid reason why it is so important to drink plenty of water and eat fresh, nutritious foods. Here are some essential tips for achieving glowing skin. Hydrate and Moisturize Keeping the skin hydrated is the first step toward keeping it healthy. It is helpful to keep a spray bottle of distilled water nearby to spritz the face and hydrate the skin throughout the day. If you add a couple drops of peppermint oil to your water, you can fight pimples while staying cool and refreshed. Moisturize your skin at least twice a day, and use lotion on damp skin for optimal results. Swap Washcloths for Wipes If you are currently scrubbing your face with a washcloth, think again. Bacteria and germs cling to your washcloth, and this will all be transferred to your skin when you use it on your face. Instead, invest in disposable facial wipes to cleanse without the risk of exposure to bacteria or skin damage from harsh fibers. Make sure to read the product labels carefully, though: many wipes recommend that you rinse your face well after use to remove any harsh ingredients that might be harmful if they were to linger on your skin. Use High-Quality Bedding and Launder Well It’s easy to think of your bed as the softest, most comfortable place to be, but using the wrong bedding can wreak havoc on your skin. Pillowcases made of rough fibers can scratch and dry out your skin while you sleep. Try switching to soft cotton, bamboo fiber, or even silk and keep your beauty rest wholesome! Also, check how clean your pillowcase is; you’ll need to launder and replace it more frequently than you might change your bed’s sheets. Launder pillowcases every two or three days to prevent dirt and oil from rubbing off on skin during sleep time. Also, use gentle laundry soaps that won’t irritate your skin, particularly if you have dry or sensitive skin. Raise Your Head Sleeping with your head elevated slightly can improve circulation while you rest, and will leave you looking less blotchy and red-faced in the morning. This is because sleeping with your head raised allows for optimal blood flow so you wake looking refreshed and rejuvenated. Furthermore, this contributes to getting a better night’s rest, which can give the skin a more youthful appearance. Cut Up a Cucumber There are numerous health benefits conferred on the body by cucumbers, and they have some remarkable effects on your skin’s appearance, too. Slicing cucumbers and placing slices on your eyes for around 20 minutes can reduce any redness or swelling around this area. Also, rubbing cucumber slices over your skin after being out in the sun can cool and hydrate the face and help it recover, similar to the way aloe vera works. Try juicing cucumbers and adding lemon juice for a cheap and refreshing facial that will reduce the sight of scars or sun damage. Taking good care of your skin now may prevent the wrinkles and dark spots that can surface as you age, and will help to maintain the elasticity of your skin that is so important for a smooth, refined texture. Treat your skin well and take note of how much more radiant and youthful it can look!
Why Do My Breast Lose Volume & Shape?
Regardless of shape, size, or whether she likes them or not, a woman’s Breast shape often forms a large part of a woman’s identity. Breasts, just like any other part of the body, can change over time, and women often see the changes happening right before their eyes. Changes to breast shape and volume usually occur with fluctuations in hormone levels, but can occur for other reasons, and are often useful indicators of what’s happening in a woman’s body. Here are some common reasons for breasts losing volume and changing shape. Puberty The first indication of puberty in girls is often the growth of the breasts. They don’t always grow at the same rate, though, and it can take several years for breasts to reach their full size. Breast Shape development, sometimes called “breast budding,” starts first with a small bump and continues with the nipple and areola darkening in color and growing. Menstruation usually starts two to about a year to two years after initial breast growth. Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Breast changes are also among the first signs of pregnancy for women. Along with breast tenderness, the nipple area often darkens and expands during pregnancy. An increase in cup size is also common and is caused by the expansion of the blood vessels, ducts, and lobules as the body prepares for lactation. Once the baby arrives and lactation begins, breasts continue going through many changes, taking as many as six months to go back to regular size after breastfeeding stops. Menopause Another natural stage in a woman’s life where her breasts may change size, shape, and volume is during menopause. While there is a decrease in estrogen levels, breasts don’t actually get smaller. Instead, they are more likely to lose their firmness, getting softer and beginning to sag as they Lost Breast volume. Breast density also decreases with age and a larger percentage of the breast is fatty tissue. For women uncomfortable or unhappy with these less positive changes, plastic surgery is one of many options. Exercise & Loss of Body Fat Getting into shape is important, but many women worry that exercising too much will cause their breast shape to change shape or lose volume. Since breasts are made up in large part of fatty tissue, there is some cause for concern. However, breasts usually only Lose Breast Fat volume or change shape with significant weight loss, and because there’s no standard shape or size for breasts it has no harmful medical impact. To regain a pre-weight-loss bust line there are some things that can be done through diet and exercise, but significant changes are better handled by a plastic surgeon. Substance Use Taking any substance that changes hormone levels can have an effect on breast size. It isn’t unusual for women taking birth control pills to experience a small increase in size, and antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs are notorious for causing changes including spontaneous lactation and pain. Caffeine and alcohol can also have negative effects on breasts, especially alcohol, which has been linked to breast cancer. Correcting Breast Changes While many women are perfectly happy with changes in breast size, for some the changes have a negative impact on their body image. For women unhappy with changes after pregnancy, during menopause, or at any time, there are options for making corrections. Plastic surgeons can help women make corrections or enhancements and, with new techniques that minimize scarring, produce natural-looking results.