Breaking news: summer is coming, look busy. Or, better yet, get busy – I don’t know about you, but at least in my case there’s a lot of prep to done before I can feel beach-ready and body-confident for the fast-approaching summer months ahead. Below, a won’t-waste-your-time (you’ll need that for waxing, sugaring, tanning, sweating…you get the idea) guide to prepping for summer.
First off: fitness. Come on, you knew that was coming, right? Those thighs ain’t gonna tone themselves. There’s a fine line between looking good and looking like a Victoria’s Secret model, and we intend to cross it. In general, it’s a great idea to focus equally on strength and cardio, but it can help to lean more towards strength if you want to tone up, and cardio if you’re looking to lose weight. For girls like me, who bulk at the even the sight of one-pound hand weights (or anybody who wants long, lean muscles like a dancer’s or willowy Pilates devotee’s), I recommend Pure Barre for strength, and Tracy Anderson’s treadmill workout (find it, in Parts One and Two, on YouTube) for cardio. Pure Barre is a great, incredibly challenging alternative to traditional weight training and incorporates Pilates-inspired isometric movements, using your own body weight, and yoga-themed stretches to build strength, not bulk, while chiseling long, dancer-like muscles. Anderson’s cardio workout is challenging on all levels (it keeps your heart rate around peak levels for the duration of the workout, and tests your balance, coordination, and proprioception), so you know you’re getting an amazing workout, while making time fly and being crazy-fun all at the same time.
Now, let’s say you want to be in great shape this summer, but squeezing a Pilates ball between your inner thighs or pounding the pavement just isn’t going to cut it. Perhaps you’re not ashamed of your curves, but your joints won’t take the strain of exercise and/or you know you need to get healthy, and you’ve been considering lipo as a kickstart to a healthier lifestyle. Or perhaps you’re already an avid exerciser but there are certain small, pesky areas that no amount of working out or dieting will touch, and your friend, who has been singing the praises of CoolSculpting, has got you curious (I myself am pretty interested in this). Or maybe you’d like to look a bit more like a Victoria’s Secret model in, well, the most important area. Head on over to aboutplasticsurgery.com. It’s a great, informative website that covers everything you need to know about all of the above concerns, and can also help you find a great surgeon or specialist in your area, should you decide to take the plunge. Of particular note is their interesting article on CoolSculpting versus laser lipo, which you can find here.
Alright, now you’ve got your smokin’ bod – get ready to flaunt it! We all know the waxing drill: full legs, underarms, maybe a Brazilian if you’re feeling fruity (and brave). But we all know that, much like a dental drill, this procedure can cause a lot of, well, let’s be frank – AGONY. Take it down a notch and actually enjoy your appointments with sugaring. Essentially waxing with a sticky sugar paste instead of, y’know, wax, sugaring reduces pain by eliminating hot wax burns and by adhering to the hair, but not your skin. And sugaring can do everything waxing can: legs, underarms, and yes, even those Brazilians.
And there you have it: how to be a real-life VS model, in three easy steps. Helloooo, Adam.
Photos: Pinterest, Kangaroo Promotions, About.com & Listal.
