January 6, 2012
For many of us, every year we resolve to look better and every year we simply don’t reach our target goals. And when we don’t reach these goals, we become frustrated and throw in the towel. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be this hard. There are three steps that you can take to look your very best but you need to be compliant. Simply attend to one, and you simply won’t accomplish your goals.
But before we discuss these steps, I encourage you to explore your mindset going into this. Identify not only what you are trying to accomplish but also why you are trying to accomplish this specific goal now. And, what are you willing to give up to actually accomplish it? By examining your motivations for any resolution or new path before moving forward you can often avoid common missteps and achieve more long-lasting success.
With that in mind, let’s talk about the three steps you absolutely need to follow to achieve your best looking body ever!
First and foremost, you need to eat right. Any personal trainer, nutritionist, or dietician will tell you that what you eat contributes as much as 80% to how well you look and well how feel overall! That’s a pretty incredible number. Think about it. How many of your friends (or even you) have worked out non-stop, gone to the gym continuously, but still have not accomplished their goals. If you really look at what they (and you) are eating, many people use exercise as an excuse to eat whatever they want. The mindset is that you exercise so that you can eat but this mindset is a trap and is one thing that can keep you from your goals. Diet is critical and needs to be the foundation of your resolution. And when I say diet, I don’t mean a diet that is so restrictive you can never maintain it; I mean a plan for eating that is rigid enough to keep you on focus but flexible enough that you can actually stick with it.
Next, you need to exercise. Simply eating right will never get you optimal results. You need to exercise on a regular basis. And, as recent studies demonstrate, you need to raise your heart rate and you need to keep it fun. The more you enjoy how you exercise, the more likely you are to stick with it. And, as we all know, that is really half the battle. Many people join a gym as a New Year’s resolution only to fade out early. Instead, create habits that are healthy, that are fun, and that can be embraced on a long term basis. If you have a dog, run with your dog and use that to supplement your physical activity. If you enjoy the outdoors, find a local hike that will raise your heart rate and allow you to enjoy the natural beauty around you. Whatever you do, find something that you can stick with and that will give you enough exertion but enough enjoyment that you will actually want to exercise on a routine basis.
Finally, when all else fails and those problem areas simply won’t go away, surgery is always an option. And since your ultimate outcome will only be as good as the person behind the procedure, it is critical that you research both the background and experience of anyone you are looking to for liposuction. Look for a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who is experienced in body contouring, ask to see photos of their results, and (as importantly) ask to speak with one or two of their clients. This last recommendation is especially important because it may give you even more insight into not only the caliber of results you can expect but also the experience you will encounter along the way. Over the last several years and as a result of economic pressures within the medical industry, many non-core physicians now offer liposuction and other body contouring procedures to make ends meet. And they often do so at bargain pricing to entice clients and grow their patient base. Is this always a bad thing? Not always. But keep in mind that many of these physicians have never even completed a surgical residency and are suddenly performing what is truly a surgical procedure. Or, if they do have surgical experience, it is not in this area. Think about it, do you really want a Family Practitioner whose experience is limited to treating coughs, colds, and long term non-surgical conditions to be performing your surgery? In my book, that is simply not good medicine. And it certainly should be a red flag for you as the consumer.
With these three suggestions in mind, I wish you the very best in the New Year and encourage you to embrace change as a long term solution keeping in mind that most good things come with compromise and persistence as well as a change in the way you see the world around you. Be well!
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