Get Psyched - Mark it On Your Calendar!!

For me, just wanting to lose weight is never enough of a reason to stick to a fitness plan. I can't tell you how many times in my life I have felt the disappointment of failure due to loss of motivation. Sure I always start a healthy eating plan or fitness schedule with determination and high hopes. But after about a week of hard work and deprivation the whole idea seems to lose it's luster. I start to ask myself, "Do I really want to lose weight this badly? It doesn't seem worth it". I can talk myself out of hard work quite easily. This is why I need a good, solid reason to stick to a health and fitness plan. A reason other than simply wanting to lose weight. I am a professional physique competitor and a fitness model. I have turned my fitness goals into a career and I love what I do, but I am still human and I fall off course several times throughout the year. I know all too well what it feels like to have a great desire to look and feel great, yet fall into temptation when dessert is being passed around the table. And I know how it feels to give into temptation all weekend with friends and it's that much harder to regain self control come Monday. I've been there, and that is why I give myself a goal that is important enough for me to want to stick to a plan. I will chose a fitness competition and mark the date on my calendar. I will send in my contract so it is official - I MUST show up and I must be in shape! For what it's worth, I am the only person who cares whether I have done my best to prepare for my show. If I am not at my best for competition the judges will give me a poor score and get on with the show. I will not be scolded or mistreated. Luckily I have a great determination when I am preparing for competition and after all is said and done I walk out onto the stage with confidence, knowing I have given it my all. Nothing feels as good as knowing I've reached my goals, it's wonderful! I remind myself that whatever my placing is, I've done my best and that is what matters.I am well aware of the fact that i will not be competing for the rest of my life. What I do want to take with me is the self motivational skills I've learned. While the true goal will always be health and longevity, motivation can be kicked into high gear with realistic small goals. When there is a date checked on the calendar I will know to look forward the pride I will feel on that day. Whether it is a special event or a fun day of shopping for new jeans, the journey leading up to this day will be fun and exciting. And afterwords, the satisfaction of a goal attained is usually reason enough to stick with it!Other ways to find motivation are small but powerful. Buy yourself a cute new fitness outfit that you can't wait to wear! I love Body Up fitness wear - www.bodyup.com. Get a workout partner who has similar goals. Cook and eat healthy meals with your family! Make fitness a part of your life and get excited!

BODY UP OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF “HOT BODY PROJECT: ATLANTA”
Hosted by IFBB Pro’s HEATHER GREEN & ALICIA MARIE

Body Up is proud to sponsor "Hot Body Project: Atlanta,” a fitness seminar developed and hosted by IFBB (International Federation of Body Building & Fitness) Pro’s Green & Marie where women will gather for an intense day long workshop and learn the secrets of fitness competition, including stage presentation, posing, training and nutrition. The event will also feature Tosca Reno author of the bestselling book “The Eat-Clean Diet.”

“Hot Body Project: Atlanta” will take place on April 4th at Gotta Dance in Atlanta and has already received registrations from fitness, bikini and figure competitors from across the country.

Look for “Hot Body Project” in your town. After a very successful NYC event, the 2 Fit Divas planned Atlanta and are in the process of booking Los Angeles and Dallas dates. For more information about the “Hot Body Project,” call toll free 877-TFD-2009 or visit the website www.thehotbodyproject.com.

EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES IS MAGIC!

BODY UP will be exhibiting at MAGIC!
Show dates are Tuesday February 17th- Thursday February 19th.
We will be located at the WWD MAGIC area of the hall; YOUNG CONTEMPORARY Booth # 14426

Stop by our booth to meet Body Up’s Founder & President Gilda Almeida and Director of Wholesale Lisa Burgoyne. We will have models on-hand showing our newest collection of fashion forward active wear and our new leisure category. See for yourself what happens when the most technologically advanced fabrics merge with European designs. Visit us to see what publications including Women’s Health, Self, Marie Claire & Shape are buzzing about!

Take a look a our pictures from last year's event!

SkinCare Advice by Leyda Elizabeth Bowes

Outdoor activities and exercise are very important components of a healthy lifestyle. But with cumulative exposure to the sun, especially over the years, our skin begins to show signs of damage and aging, called dermatoheliosis. A 3-part basic skin care regimen can help prevent and fight such damaging skin changes. This includes:

A repair cream that is best applied at bedtime. Retinoid creams are used for this purpose (tretinoin, tazarotene, adapalene). They fight signs of previous sun damage, stimulate new collagen, correct fine lines and wrinkles, and can have a preventive effect on the development of precancer lesions known as actinic keratoses.

A preventive cream to be applied in the morning. These creams are typically antioxidant molecules (especially vitamins C and E) that are able to fight free radical damage in the environment, and thus prevent future or ongoing sun-induced skin damage and aging. Antioxidant creams, most notably those with vitamin C, should be dispensed in a specially sealed tube, as opposed to jars, to avoid oxidation of the active molecules and therefore loss of its beneficial effects.

Sunscreen! It should be applied every morning, just before the make-up, if the latter is being used. An SPF of 30 offers excellent protection, blocking more than 97.5% of harmful sun rays. Use a light powder or paste-type sunscreen that reads noncomedogenic, to prevent acne flares.

By Leyda Elizabeth Bowes, M.D.
Board Certified Dermatologist
Former Clinical Instructor in Dermatology, Harvard Medical School.
Private Practice in Miami.
For additional questions, contact us at
Tel.: 305-856-6555
Web: miamilaser.com