Abdominoplasty – The Tummy Tuck

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Are you unhappy with your mid-section?

Do you carry a few extra pounds around your belly?

Have you ever considered plastic surgery to remedy this problem?

If so, you might want to consult with a plastic surgeon to find out whether or not you are a good candidate for abdominoplasty.

This is a surgical procedure more commonly known as a tummy tuck.

The people who most commonly have this surgery are women, especially those that have given birth multiple times. This results in the skin and abdominal muscles being stretched beyond the point where they can return to normal on their own.

Ideal candidates for this type of surgery are people who have weak muscles, have extra skin that protrudes from the abdomen, and are at a stable weight.

People who are significantly overweight do not make good candidates for this type of surgery. The doctor might recommend that they lose some weight or possibly undergo liposuction before having the surgery performed.

The surgeon will determine whether or not a person is an ideal candidate during the pre-surgical consultation.

The actual abdominoplasty procedure is performed under general anesthesia but on an outpatient basis.

A full tummy tuck takes roughly 2-3 hours to perform, while a mini tummy tuck requires about 1-2 hours of surgery time.

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The procedure will leave the patient with a scar across the waistline, but these can usually be hidden without too much trouble. Most patients do not mind the scar since they have a flatter tummy!

Following the procedure patients will be prescribed pain medication to help manage their discomfort.
– They will also have a surgical dressing and special drains that are left in place.
– Any type of strenuous activity should be avoided for at least 3-4 weeks after the surgery, and some patients may find it difficult to stand up straight immediately following the surgery.
– The doctor will recommend that patients begin walking as soon as possible.
– Recovery time varies by patient, but it is usually 2-4 weeks before a person returns to work. During this time a little light exercise is OK, as it may actually aid in the healing process. Exercise is actually very beneficial, in that it helps reduce swelling, tone muscles, and reduces the risk of blood clots.
– The scars from surgery will remain very noticeable for about 3-6 months, but by 9-12 months they begin to flatten and get lighter in color.

Just like any surgical procedure, abdominoplasty is not without some risk.
– Anytime a person goes under anesthesia there is a risk, and in rare cases infection or blood clots can occur.
– Smokers are at a higher risk for post-surgical complications, so the doctor may advise patients to quit smoking well in advance of their surgery.

Regardless of any possible risks or complications, many women feel that abdominoplasty is still much more beneficial than harmful.

Once a person has made the decision to have this surgery, they need to do a consult with an experienced surgeon. Together the two of you will determine whether this procedure is the right one for you.

Tempted to try the latest Magic Slimming Pills?

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Summer is just around the corner. You know what that means, right?

It means every gym is super packed, every diet book is flying off the shelves, and every supplement company is trying to push their latest “fat loss pill.”

Why?

Because with bathing suit season around the corner, many people are trying to lose weight.

I absolutely love seeing people make the decision to make a positive change in their weight and their health, and I love seeing people adopt a new healthy eating and exercise plan.

What I DON’T love, though, are the diet pill companies that promote their “magic” potions and pills as the easiest and best way to lose weight and keep it off. It upsets me that many of these companies take advantage of people who want to make a positive change in their lives by selling them products that may not work or (even worse) do more harm than good by damaging their metabolism.

I am going to make a bold statement here and say that if a “diet” program requires you to purchase their pills and shakes to make the diet work, you should be very, very cautious (and probably look for a different program).

I can tell you with 100% certainty that all you need in order to successfully lose weight and keep it off is wholesome, natural food…and that’s it! Oh, and water, of course. But magic pills or shakes are absolutely not necessary to drop the excess fat off your body and keep it off for good.

That is why I teach my clients and my readers exactly how to use REAL, delicious, and wholesome foods in order to boost metabolism, feel energized, and lose tons of fat at the same time.

Yes we also tell you about weight loss surgery as a tool to assist the morbidly obese … but it’s a TOOL not MAGIC WAND … you still need to eat right for it to work.

Successful Weight Loss Requires Attitude Change

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Do you find your attitude during your weight loss to a bit of a roller coaster?

Are you good when you’re eating healthy and working out, but bad when you’ve slipped, binged or neglected your health?

We’ve all been there. Losing weight is a challenge and requires a long term commitment and a lot of patience.In order to be successful, you need to change your attitude for weight loss.

Focus on the positive.

You are the only one in charge of your thoughts and attitude. The constant negative thoughts and words start to become a habit. Pay attention to what you think and say to yourself or about yourself.

Every time you have a negative thought or attitude, stop and remind yourself that all big things take time.

Remind yourself how far you’ve come and focus on the ultimate goal. Most important – stop beating yourself up.

Remember this is not a quick fix.

This is a life-long commitment. A marriage between you and your health. So unless you’re ready to divorce the health and weight loss effort altogether, learn to love who you two are together.

As with any marriage, there will be days that are great, and days that you want to run away to Rio.

Learn to embrace this relationship, even though it’s not perfect.

Work out issues as you go along, and forgive the occasional cheat.

Reward yourself.

We often seem to be berating ourself for bad behavior, but quite often forget to reward ourselves for the small “wins” that happen with weight loss. I’m not talking just the numbers on the scale, but the efforts and actions that go into each day of your new healthy lifestyle.

Did your day consist of eating healthy and a 3 mile walk? Acknowledge that with yourself and with others.

Flying solo is lonely.

Find others that will help lift you up and keep you positive. By joining our weight loss group, our members enjoy access to a private Members Facebook page. This private page is an amazing support system for our members. I love seeing the way people post about their “sucesses” and how supportive all the other members are with their comments on that post.  We should do that everyday.

Be proud of your accomplishments with more positive self-talk. This will lead to behaviors that reflect those actions. Over time, you will begin to notice that you want to repeat those behaviors in order to get that good feeling.

You are the guide to your thoughts and behaviors.

Take responsibility not only for your physical actions of eating healthy and exercising, but the mental actions of having positive thoughts and attitude.

Not only will you become a happier person, you will find it easier it to lose weight and keep it off.

Aren’t you worth it?

How to get toned arms without using weights

Maybe you’re not the gym type. Maybe the repetitive movement of pumping iron just doesn’t appeal to you. But you still deserve great arms, right? No worries! You can still get your biceps and triceps toned for summer–minus the weights. Here’s how:

The following arm toning exercises focus mainly on biceps and triceps and most are simply movements. Combine any of these toning exercises with 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and you’re good to go.

1. Arm Circles
Toning Benefits: Arm circles benefit your triceps, biceps and shoulders.
Standing straight, or sitting in chair without a back, if you need to sit, stretch both arms out to your sides. Also flatten your hands, palms down. Begin by making small circles in a clockwise motion. Keep arms strong and firm. Do as many as you can in one direction, then reverse and go counter clockwise.
You should feel these right away, and your arms will tire. Do between one and three sets a day.

2. Ball Toss
Toning Benefits: Triceps
This exercise can be done with a small cantaloupe (or a sports or medicine ball). Lie on a bench, or on a towel or mat on the floor. Bend knees and put your feet on the floor. Hold the fruit or ball slightly above your chest with both hands. Toss the object in the air as you straighten your arms. Catch the object and repeat.

3. Bicep Curls
Toning Benefits: Biceps
Bicep curls can be performed in either a standing or sitting position. Keep elbows close to the body and move the forearms until your hands come up to your chest. This exercise can be performed by just clenching your fists. Or, hold a soup can in each hand for added weight. Move both of your arms at the same time.

4. Military-Style Push Ups
Toning Benefits: Triceps, deltoids, pecs
The military-style push up is a killer work out. If your reason not to do push ups is that your carpet needs to be vacuumed, you’ll need another excuse, because, you won’t be spending much time on the floor.
In fact, only the palms of you hands and the tips of your toes should be on the floor at all times.
Start with elbows bent, our shoulder blades pushed slightly together, straighten your legs and flex your feet. Raise your body up, paying attention to keeping your abdomen muscles locked in tight. Focus your efforts on using your chest muscles and arms when doing push ups.
Lower down about two inches to the floor without touching it. Do a set of 10 military style push ups.

5. Tricep Dip
Toning Benefits: Triceps
Sit on the edge of a stable chair or bench. Stretch both legs out in front of you. Move your body until you are no longer on the chair. Raise and lower your body, using your triceps muscles. You will definitely feel this.

Angela Chouaib on Why Multiple Procedures are a BAD Idea

Angela Chouaib, MD and founder of Secret Surgery, gets asked about multiple procedures on a regular basis – ‘Can I get a tummy tuck with a boob job?’ or ‘How about a labiaplasty with breast implants’? The truth is, any surgeon could perform even ten procedures on a patient in one go, and you could have yourself a full body makeover! But Secret Surgery do not, and will not, do that. Here’s Angela Chouaib explaining why.

At Secret Surgery, we work to the highest standards and take the greatest care to ensure our patients’ safety. If that means that we don’t offer certain options to our patients, then… that’s how it goes! Just think of us as your cosmetic surgery parents – we know what’s best. There are six main reasons why multiple procedures are a BAD idea:

1. It’s not a good idea to keep anyone under general anesthetic for that…

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How to Set Aggressive Goals for Weight Loss

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The more you let yourself slide on a diet, the less weight you’ll lose. The following are some of the aggressive goals that have led many people to achieve their desired weight.

Strict Daily Calorie Intake

If you need 1,200 calories a day to lose up to two pounds a week, and that is what you want to do, you must stick to that calorie allowance each day. It’s not okay to go over by a hundred calories because for every few calories over that limit, it will build up to less weight loss.

Set Meal Plan

Many people have an easier time staying on track with a diet if they have a meal plan in place.  This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. By planning your meals, you will be able to stay on track with calorie intake, and stop yourself from picking up some quick junk food to satisfy hunger.

Daily Weight or Inch Loss Check

Some people on a diet will only check their weight every week. Checking your weight or inch loss keeps you on track with your diet. It reminds you of your goals, and gives you motivation at times to keep going. For these reasons, many people suggest checking weight or inch loss every day, first thing in the morning, and wearing nothing at all.

Exercise 3X a Week at Least

Exercise burns the calories you can’t help but eat. This is why it is important to burn off at least one meal a week with exercise. Start slowly with exercise, or you’ll burn yourself out physically and mentally.  If you can’t run for 30 minutes when you first start exercising, don’t push yourself or worry about it. Simply start with five or ten minutes, and then increase the time each day or week depending on your ability.

Keep Positive and Don’t Give Up

You won’t lose the weight in an instant. Remember, you didn’t gain the weight overnight, so you won’t lose it overnight. Do what you have to do every day that will lead you to losing weight, and soon, you’ll start to see the numbers on the scale going on.