I have not ventured into the medspa world yet for my own personal upkeep but am not turned off by the magic they offer. 

As I was getting my nails done a couple of weeks ago, I was flipping through magazines and came across the Marie Claire article which grabbed my attention immediately because of my work with BalanceBoost.  Also, 2 of my friends work in the medspa industry and the majority of my friends receive medspa treatments.

After reading the article and seeing the images of the incompetent work, it reminded me of one of my favorite TV shows, Nip/Tuck.  In their second season one of their fellow plastic surgeons fell off the deep end and started working with, literally, a chop-shop salon where they were giving customers Botox and other medspa treatments in their storage room. 

Even though a professionally educated plastic surgeon was performing the procedures, the business was clearly a nail and hair salon, the doctor was in a desperate situation due to a substance abuse problem which made the “practice” completely dangerous.  In one episode a woman died from a botched procedure and they disposed of her body in a horrifying way, if you know what I mean.

Thankfully, that example comes from a television show.  However, there are less severe instances of botched procedures that go on daily in medspas, and it is up to you to do your due diligence by asking detailed questions about the procedures and technicians, getting references from other patients, visiting multiple medspas, and making sure the procedure is worth the unknowns of having it done outside of a doctors office.

One of my friends that works in medspas is a Licensed Physician’s Assistant and performs laser hair removal and is now training for injectable treatments (Botox, Restylane, etc.).  She told me about the other technicians at her former job’s lack of care, knowledge and sticking to protocol.  She also told me about the business’ lack of quality assurance and control over these technicians, because apparently in Florida they are in high demand and there aren’t enough licensed technicians to fill all of the appointments.  Due to all of the unprofessional situations she witnessed throughout her time with this business, she decided to quit.

Another friend who used to get laser treatment from her was telling me that his new technician at this business (which he continues to go to because of his contract) is good, but that the procedure is more painful than it was with my friend.  After letting her know, she said that it was less painful with her because she actually does the hair removal on herself and has determined what technique is best for quality results and comfort for the patient.

Even though the majority of the technicians in medspas are not doctors, we are lucky to have someone as thorough and professional as my friend to perform these procedures. But, the bottom line is to make sure you do your homework and that medspa are not the place where price shopping is the best option.

Tiffany Houser
The Balance Group / BalanceBoost

Oh the holidays.  They sneak up on us so quickly, just like our increasing appetites and holiday to-do lists.  This time of the year is very overwhelming for most people as plans are in the making, parties have us shaking, gifts have us contemplating, and food needs baking.

This week we are focusing in on the ongoing saga of weight management and eating habits.  I grew up in Pennsylvania where food has always been wonderful, delicious, and in most cases unhealthy.  With all of the multi-tasking and meals coming up, we need to really be aware of the balance in our lives.  I am already thinking about fresh baked doughnuts, juicy roasted turkey, homemade stuffing, holiday cookies, and this list goes on forever!  I love to eat! I love food, and yes, there is a tendency to overboard during the holidays.  Just this week I stopped into Wild Oats and they had their Thanksgiving Dinner samplers out and I was SO tempted to buy one.

Five years ago, I decided to spend Thanksgiving in New York City for the first time.  A group of my friends and I all divvied up the food list and from the moment we started cooking late morning until the wee hours of the night, I could NOT stopping eating!  Even though I was full my brain kept making my hand put more food on my plate and pick at the food we already wrapped up and put back into the fridge.  Everyone was astonished at how much I ate that day and the fact that I could not stop eating.

Over the past couple of years my appetite has decreased from all of the detoxing and supplements I have added to my lifestyle.  Now when I am full I do not crave more and my brain knows to stop because my body has developed to know when enough is enough!  However, I do not deprive myself of holiday treats and the wonderful meals that oddly only come during this time a year.
 
Tiffany Houser
The Balance Group

 by Olga El

The holidays are coming up and lots of students will be going home for Thanksgiving or Winter break and coming back with a few extra pounds. Overstuffing their children on holidays is the parents’ answer to that ever-nagging, worrisome question “Are you eating?” Even in my house, where a typical Thanksgiving feast usually consists of mostly vegetable, rice, or potato dishes, over-indulgence can be an issue. The problem usually isn’t the food itself but how much of it one consumes. Therefore, the key is moderation.

I have learned to take a little bit of everything, replenishing with a little more if I’m still hungry. This way, I get to enjoy all the foods I want without having to gorge or deprive myself of anything. I’ll even put off veganism for another day to try mom’s killer macaroni and cheese. Moderation in eating seems like it would be common sense, but with so many tempting options, many people find it too easy to overeat on the holidays.

I also try to contribute something healthy to the table, usually a homemade pie or other dessert made with whole and vegan ingredients. These usually taste just as good or better than the average dessert, and no one but me needs to know the difference.

Also, since I don’t live with my parents, I tend to bring food back to New York with me in the hopes that this will spare me of the need to do grocery shopping for at least a week. There’s no need to consume all the food on the table in one sitting. For a longer holiday vacation, exercise doesn’t need to be abandoned. More vigorous workout plans can be replaced with a relaxing, brisk walk, housework, or a little dancing with family and friends. The holidays should be enjoyed. Being well and feeling good about it only enhances that joy.

It’s that gluttonous time of the year again, which makes January such a lucrative time for gym memberships and cliche resolutions.

Instead of tipping your eating habits from one extreme to the other, “weight management” (not “weight loss”) is the key to keeping those extra holiday lbs off the scale. While this includes counting calories and eating more salad than ice cream, it also means understanding WHY you keep eating when your pants are about to pop.

“Your old eating habits may be so ingrained that you’re not aware of them,” the Mayo Clinic web site states. “Mentally rehearsing healthier habits can help.”

Take this sample visualization of a season’s special occasion: You are wearing a gown reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn-meets-Bettie-Page at a company holiday party. The hors d’oeuvre table is loaded with your favorites: kiwi, carrots, celery, sashimi…

It’s like creating your own mental advertising campaign so that the cake and cookies, which were also on the table, fade into the background. Hey, if media can drive millions to binge on hamburgers and chocolate, imagine how much more powerful your own propaganda can be in preventing destructive consumption. You can start by cutting out magazine pictures of healthy food and tacking them to a bulletin board, or in strategic spots around the house.

Besides brainwashing yourself, the Partnership for Weight Management states that what you weigh is the result of several other factors:

* how much and what kinds of food you eat
* whether your lifestyle includes regular physical activity
* whether you use food to respond to stress and other situations in your life
* your physiologic and genetic make-up
* your age and health status.

So, if you’re mindlessly sucking on Hershey kisses to cope with the stress of decorating, gift-shopping and making travel arrangements, the least you can do is defend your butt with 10 minutes of cardio per day. “What we gain over the holidays tends to stick around,” writes Paige Waehner for About.com, which offers quick workouts in between holiday munching.

And if you really want to be proactive about managing your weight over the holidays, check out these tools that calculate your fitness,  measure BMI (body mass index) and count carbs & calories.

Tell us: How do you manage your weight? Share your creative solutions with other Balance Boosters.