5 tips to help you shape up by spring

5 tips to help you shape up by spring


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If you've been camouflauging your body shape with jackets and hoodies all winter, it's time to do some "spring cleaning."

There are more ways to get in shape for warmer weather than spending your life at the gym. Try some of these unique — and fast — ways to get your body in shape by spring. Start now to look and feel your best when the warmer weather arrives.

One bite at a time

Our processed-food diets have us packing on the pounds, creating not-so-lovable love handles. One easy step to fixing that problem is adding fiber to your diet — even if you're not ready to take anything off the menu right now. The old adage "an apple a day ... " will add four more grams of fiber in your diet.

The standard goal is 30-38 grams of fiber a day. For a handy chart on how to add high-fiber foods to your diet, visit mayoclinic.com.

Photo credit: gurl.com

Move it

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exercise will help control your weight, improve your mood and can even help you live longer. Even small changes to your routine will make a big difference. Experts agree that a mix of cardio and strength training will help you look and feel better.

If you're struggling with a specific body part, try targeted exercises to put a little focus on your arms, legs or belly.

Photo credit: perezhilton

Shapewear

Our mothers called them girdles, and before that they were corsets. Today they're called shapewear. Many companies offer a line of undergarments that will lift, tuck or compress.

Thankfully, most shapewear is considerably more comfortable than its more restrictive forerunners. The downside, however, is that it only reshapes the parts of the body it covers and the effect only lasts as long as you keep it on. If you go the shapewear route, be sure to check yourself from all angles in a full-length mirror to make sure a "squeeze" here doesn't produce a "pop" there.

Photo credit: curvyandcurious.com

UltraShape

For a more permanent solution, people in the United States can now opt for a procedure called UltraShape. It uses high-intensity focused ultrasound to target and disrupt fat cells. Your body then clears the extra fat using its own vascular and lymphatic systems with noticeable results after the first treatment.

Some people use UltraShape to help contour those last few inches of fat that diet and exercise don't seem to help, while others use it to jumpstart their journey. The quick results encourage folks to make other health changes.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Stay with it

Whichever method — or combination of methods — you choose to change your life, the important thing is to keep motivated. For some people the hardest part is getting started while others are quick out of the gate, but get bored quickly. Finding and keeping your motivation is a necessary key to success.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

The good news is that even the most stubborn of groundhogs agree that spring is on its way. This year is the perfect time for you to take charge of the shape you're in.

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