http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/these-6-ripped-docs-have-your-fitness-rx.html
Many thanks to Dr. Brandy Segura for writing this!
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Help! My Face Is Falling
Originally published on RxGirl on Friday, 04 January 2013. The original post was published with white text on white background, so the only way to read it on the site is to highlight the text. To make things easier for everyone, I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.
http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/7293-help-my-face-is-falling.html
An inevitable consequence of the aging process is the loss of elasticity in the skin that we often take for granted when we are young. This loss of firmness is amplified by competition diets and training which can trim storage fat stores to the point that female competitors’ faces look positively skeletal. My eye is trained to scan a person’s face for areas of lipoatrophy, elastosis, rhytids, shifting of malar fat pads, etc….in other words, sunken, sagging, drooping, wrinkled skin. The degree of elastic breakdown and loss of soft tissue fullness that I see in an average fifty year old is something I commonly see in many female competitors as young as their late 20’s. This process only gets worse over time unless the competitor is willing to do something to prevent progression.
What can a competitor do once her skin has started this dreaded sagging process?
There are laser treatments available which help to resurface and refine the skin and which can also tighten the skin somewhat. However, these treatments are often too expensive for competitors, especially when considering all the costs associated with competing. Another viable and cost-effective solution to the issue of loosening skin is a chemical peel. There are many different types of chemical peels available, ranging from very light glycolic acid peels to an aggressive TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peel. One composite peel (phenol, TCA, salicylic acid and Retin-A) which is my personal favorite is the Vi-Peel which is well tolerated, painless, and confers a good tightening effect on the skin.
Another wonderful option to correct the loss of volume in the face and add structural support is fillers. There are a number of hyaluronic acid based fillers available now (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Belotero) which last 6 months to a year. Radiesse is another natural filler option which is comprised of calcium hydroxylapatite. Radiesse also acts as a biostimulator, stimulating cells in the skin to produce collagen over time. Another wonderful feature of Radiesse is the fact that it lasts 18 months or more.
If you have wrinkles in the forehead and around the eyes, Botox and Dysport are excellent treatments and will last for 3 to 6 months.
If you are in the Los Angeles area, I offer filler and Vi-Peel treatments. Please go to my medical website for more information: http://www.staceynaito.com
A Favorite Image From LHGFX In A Tight Red Dress
I believe this was shot in mid 2011 out near Las Vegas. It’s one of my favorite images!
Make Your Fitness Goals Tangible With Photos!
Whenever I do initial consultations with weight management patients, I make sure to ask them what their ultimate weight loss goals are. Invariably my patients will mention a friend or relative who has the type of physique they desire, or they will mention a time in their lives at which they considered their own bodies to be ideal for them. At the end of the evaluation, I instruct my patients to find at least one picture of that ideal body and post it in a prominent place, either on a desk, bathroom mirror, refrigerator, or car dashboard. The whole point is to create a visual representation of the patient’s goal so that it becomes more tangible over time.
When I first began competing in 2009, I quite randomly picked a couple of images of female competitors whom I really admired, printed them, and placed them on my bathroom mirror. I saw these images daily and was able to visualize my goal on a consistent basis. I did not remove these images from my mirror until I moved in October of 2012, and when I did so, I moved the images to bulletin boards in our trophy room. By that time, I had collected five First Place national titles, and now regard the two competitors in those photos as peers. I had achieved my goal of attaining a level of fitness and exposure which was right in step with these ladies.
Another tip which I give to weight management patients is to take weekly progress pics so that they can monitor the subtle changes in their bodies over an interval period of time. What they might not see from week to week can be very dramatic when they compare their baseline photos to photos taken many weeks or months later. Over time it becomes easier to take these progress pictures. Getting into the habit of taking photos regularly also works EXTREMELY well for people in the midst of contest prep. I require my contest prep clients to take weekly progress pictures, which reveal subtle changes week by week and provide information which I can use in order to make changes in a prep plan. To this day I still take weekly progress pictures myself because I know the ritual keeps me on track with my goals.
In summary, there are two things you can do to visualize your goal:
1. FIND AN IMAGE OF THE BODY YOU WANT AND POST IT IN A PROMINENT PLACE.
2. TAKE WEEKLY PROGRESS PICTURES OF YOURSELF.
Visualize and make your goal materialize!
FOOTNOTE: If you are looking for a supplement which will boost fat loss, consider trying SWAT Fuel’s 9mm or 9mm+P, both of which deliver sustained energy with no jitters or crash. These thermogenic capsules were formulated with military personnel and law enforcement offers in mind, who must remain razor sharp through long vigils and who must also wield weapons which require precision aim. A case of the jitters in these individuals could be disastrous, so it is reassuring to know that 9mm and 9mm+P deliver on their promise of steady and long lasting energy. The 9mm+P formula contains an appetite suppressant which is extremely effective in halting cravings and preventing overeating. Both of these products are also excellent for anyone who wants more energy, whether it be for a workout or for work.
To The New Model On The Block
Originally published on mensphysique.com on Monday, 02 April 2012
Modeling for the first time can be a bit daunting, especially during fitness shoots in which your physique is being prominently displayed. However, there are some guidelines and tricks to make the experience a pleasant one and one in which you can maximize the chances of producing strong images. The single-most important thing is to follow the photographer’s lead with posing, since prominent fitness photographers have developed considerable skill in posing the human body in the most flattering manner possible. This doesn’t mean that your work isn’t cut out for you, but the following posing tips will become easier over time as you are asked to do more shoots. It’s actually a good idea to practice modeling poses in front of a mirror so that you can more clearly assess how your body looks in certain poses.
Generally speaking, a wide leg stance displays your muscularity in the best fashion since it makes your waist appear smaller and enhances the bulk of your quads. Make sure to stagger feet so one foot is a few inches more forward than the other. You will shift your weight onto this foot and flex your quads while bending knees slightly. To make your upper body look as wide as possible, widen your shoulders and keep your back straight in order to enhance your v-taper.
Once your pose is established, you will flex muscle groups one at a time, such as quads, then delts, then pecs, then arms and finally abs. Get used to holding a pose! You may need to hold a pose while fully flexed for a couple of minutes. Which brings me to facial expression…quite often you will be asked to relax your face and flash a genuine smile which belies all the tension you are employing in your muscles, which can definitely be tricky. Your face needs to be a calm and happy sea, while the rest of your body is a raging storm of muscle contraction. This may take longer for some men to learn than others, and those men may keep praying for those shoots in which their facial expression needs to be intense, grimacing and full of power. Successful fitness models have mastered this trick and know that is essential in order to land certain covers and ad campaigns.
Above all else, have fun with the shoot, ask for a short break if you are tiring out too quickly, and maintain a positive and pleasant attitude.
Selecting Board Shorts For The Stage
Originally published on mensphysique.com on Sunday, 16 October 2011. The text on the original post is all messed up, but I have repaired it here.
Many men aren’t exactly gifted with the ability to determine swhat looks best on them, especially when selecting board shorts to wear up on stage with glaring lights assaulting them from every angle. Here are a few tips to selecting a great pair for your competition.
1.Make sure to pay attention to proper fit. The shorts should hit low enough in the waistline to flatter your lat spread and make your waist appear nice and tapered. The shorts should also make your rear end look nice and lifted without any excess material creating a sagging or diaper effect. Make sure you don’t go too tight though! The shorts should not ride up your crotch or make the shape of your bait and tackle highly visible! Make sure the rise in the front lies flat and does not bunch up across your lower abdomen. Also make sure the rise isn’t so low that the shorts look like they are about to fall off.
2.Blues, greens, reds and orange tones tend to look nice on stage. Avoid khaki, brown, and dull gray as they tend to look very drab under stage lights. Be careful with white as it can become severely discolored by the spray tan solution.
3.Prints are okay, but don’t go too busy! You can select shorts which have a color blocking on them, or which have a print on them, but don’t go for a very wild pattern. You want the judges to look at your physique, not at the distracting graffiti print splashed across your shorts!
4.Try to find a pair that is distinctive so that you don’t end up wearing the same board shorts as another. In fact, it is always a good idea to have an extra pair on hand at a show in case this occurs.
Sexy Couple Shot By George Kontaxis
This is Ian Lauer and me in Malibu from a couple of years ago, shot by the amazing George Kontaxis. I think you can tell that Ian and I were very much a couple then, but we are now just very good friends. He remains one of the most important and special people in my life and I am blessed to know him.
Picture Perfect With The Ladies: How To Model With A Female
Originally published on Tuesday, 29 November 2011
You may have modeled alone numerous times and are comfortable with your poses. This may lead you to think that posing with a woman is no different. However, there are numerous points to keep in mind any time you are at a shoot in which you are expected to pose with a lady.
First of all, don’t allow nerves to distract you from performing as expected. What helps tremendously with getting over any nervousness is to chat with the woman before the shoot in order to establish a comfort level. You don’t have to discuss anything in particular, but at least get an idea of her personality.
Be aware of the goal of the shoot. If the goal is to shoot a cover or an ad, you will most likely be the center of focus since many covers showcase the man while using the woman as a type of accessory. Fitness photographers are typically excellent at posing their models, which means you need to be able to follow direction without offering commentary on the poses you are being asked to do. If the photographer tells you to open your shoulders, or turn your head slightly more to the right, then just do it. Sometimes these microadjustments may be challenging since you have to hold a pose while also flexing and looking like you are having the time of your life. But all these elements are key in conveying the proper energy and mood through the images.
Move slowly between each pose and give the lady time to adjust as well. Remember that she needs to be in the proper pose as well. If you are asked to touch each other, perhaps with your hand around her waist and her hands on your chest or shoulder, be respectful of her. That being said, make sure that when you are both in a pose in which you are touching, you both look like you actually like each other, even if you can’t stand each other. Your poses and your facial expressions need to be genuine and believable.
Remember to carry yourself in a professional manner during the shoot. It doesn’t matter if you have the hots for your modeling partner remain a professional. If you must, you can ask for a date WELL after the shoot is over!
Dry Skin Is Not Sexy
Originally published on mensphysique.com on Wednesday, 07 September 2011
There is nothing sexier than a man with a chiseled physique whose skin is like polished wood, healthy, smooth, and even. Yet I see so many male competitors who don’t seem to care about the appearance of their skin, and who sport an epidermis which looks and feels like a piece of driftwood.
Healthy skin that glows looks amazing onstage, takes spray tanner better, and reflects the optimal diet which competitors should be practicing. So how does one get such healthy skin?
There are general guidelines which should be followed:
Avoid long hot showers
Moisturize regularly, preferably right after you shower
Wear sunblock regularly
Increase water intake
Consume healthy fats with omega-3 fatty acids
Exfoliate with scrubs, washcloths or loofahs
Since skin is the largest organ system, and also since it reflects a person’s overall health, it is imperative to take the above steps to ensure that your skin will look its best.
Success As Measured By Social Media
While I am grateful for the boost in exposure and the public following I have built as a result of social media, I believe that for many people, social media channels are arbitrary and false measures of success. I will never believe that someone who builds a huge following on Instagram with a gallery of scantily clad selfies has anything to offer the world except spank-bank material. I also want no part of popularity contests which simply look at the number of followers in determining the value of an athlete, and I am bothered by the idea that my knowledge carries less power than the number of bikini images I have shot over the years. I see that several fitness personalities have built their names almost exclusively on sexy selfies, and truly wonder where they will be after people get tired of just seeing hot pics and no intellectual substance to fall back upon. I honestly think that unless they begin working on their intellectual legacy, no one will remember or care about them in ten years.
Another thing which social media platforms do is that they provide a lottery chance for just about anyone to get his or her 15 minutes of fame. It can be hard to predict what might pass the tipping point and go viral, but when it does, an overnight sensation is often created. The usual prerequisite of talent has been washed away by a jaded, overstimulated society which simply wants to see something different, weird, trashy or disturbing. At the risk of completely offending a certain prominent family, I will boldly state that I think it is entirely unfair that the Kardashian family has basked in the fruits of notoriety and increased wealth simply because they were willing to showcase their affluent, dysfunctional, entitled family dynamics for the world to see. As a strange bonus, the world has been subjected to a full-figured, sexually liberated, narcissistic big sister who derives great joy from slathering her ovoid form with Crisco and posting selfies that scream “It’s all about me”, and certainly not in a way which inspires others. What is so mind-blowing is that this family is globally famous, despite the fact that they fall into the “talentless hack” category.
Even as I write this post, I hope to get a lot of views and likes, and wouldn’t mind if it went viral. However, because this post reveals coherent thoughts rather than what kind of underwear I have on right now, I know that it has less of a chance of sparking interest and reactions in a society which is still very visual and dumbed down by the sexual overtones which drive advertising.
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