Summer Shape-Up: What You Can Do Before Memorial Day to Look Your Best
The summer is a few short weeks away.
— -- They say summer bodies are made in the winter.
Uh oh.
If the thought of swimsuit season has you searching for a cover-up, fear not. We've asked the experts for the fastest way to looking your summer best from head to toe.
A surefire way to get rid of fat fast, Dr. Norman Rowe of New York's Rowe Plastic Surgery told ABC News, is the BodyFx and UltraShape machines that are running "around the clock" in his office. They're an alternative to liposuction, he said, and one his patients love because there's no downtime.
"For the right person [one that requires a no-downtime procedure], it's actually better than lipo," Rowe said. Between three and eight treatments are needed for best results. He added, however, that "there will always be a role for surgery."
His office is buzzing this time of year. "People put on a bikini and don't like what they see," Rowe said.
He also said there are Botox appointments galore in the weeks leading up to summer, but not always in the traditional places. "Women get it in the soles of their feet and in their armpits to avoid sweating," he said. Men, meanwhile, get Botox in their armpits and their hands, he said. They also get fillers in their jaw line to get more of a strong jaw look.
It's the little-to-no downtime procedures that are the most popular, said Dr. David Shafer of Shafer Plastic Surgery. "Botox and fillers are going to give you the most bang for your buck," he said. People come in this time of year for Botox in their forehead and around their eyes and then fillers in their cheeks and lips. "They want to freshen up and look their best for the summer season."
Shafer also said he sees an increase in the requests for breast augmentation as the weather warms. "You can have it done on a Thursday and be back to work Monday," he said.
There are less invasive ways to freshen up. Graceanne Svendsen, a licensed medical aesthetician who works at Shafer Plastic Surgery said new technology in makeup makes it possible to have a peel or even microneedling with platelet-rich plasma -- sometimes called a vampire facial, as it uses the patient's own blood -- and go right back to work, thanks to makeup that's specifically designed for doctors and aestheticians. "Breathable foundations such as Oxygenetix have an anti-inflammatory effect by using aloe gel and Ceravitae -- yeast peptides -- and it adds moisturizer and color with an SPF protection of 20."
But what about good old diet and exercise?
Nutritionist Molly Rieger of Tovita Nutrition suggested keeping a food journal so people can keep track of exactly what they're eating and "reducing mindless snacking and grazing." She also said to make half your dinner plate veggies because they're low in calories but high in fiber. Finally, she said, drink at least 64 ounces of water each day.
"Keeping hydrated helps to reduce feelings of hunger, fatigue, and cravings, which are all diet pitfalls."
Staying well-hydrated is key from a fitness perspective, too, said Rebecca Kennedy of RK Fitness. She also suggested eliminating alcoholic beverages. "They pack a ton of unnecessary calories."
As for a fitness routine, Kennedy said a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout works best. HIIT is combination of cardio and strength training with both high and low intensity bouts of work.
Her other favorite workout tip?
"Get into a Barry's Bootcamp class as fast as you can," said Kennedy, a Barry's Bootcamp master trainer.