ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS WITH YOUR SKIN AND WAISTLINE INTACT

WRITER: RUTH ANN BYRD

Holiday parties are all about yummy food like cheese dips, bacon-wrapped snacks and lots of desserts. Do you ever worry about your complexion, or just your waistline, at these parties? I’m kidding, right? No. You may not even realize food can affect your skin as well as your waistline. Your skin needs antioxidants from fruits and vegetables to look healthy and vibrant. Essential fatty acids found in fish, seeds and nuts help keep your skin firm and hydrated. Whole grains — such as oats and brown rice— help prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can contribute to aging skin. Even red wine (in moderation) is great for the skin because it contains the antioxidant resveratrol.

Too many of the wrong fats and carbs, though, can wreak havoc on your skin overnight. The great thing about eating healthy is that you will not only look good, you will feel good, too.

I’ve developed a strategy to get you through the holiday season barely scathed:

Helpful Tips

STAY WELL HYDRATED WITH WATER, not alcohol and sugary drinks. Drink a large glass of water before, during and after meals. Limit alcohol to no more than two drinks per day. (By the way, saving your “daily two” all week for Friday night is not OK!) Drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume. This little trick will keep both hands holding a glass at all times, preventing you from picking up that cheesecake.

EAT A LIGHT MEAL OR SNACK before parties (such as a salad or lettuce wrap) so you won’t be so easily tempted once faced with all that high-calorie snack food. When you aren’t starving, it’s easy to make the right food choices.

AVOID SWEETS and other high-glycemic carbohydrate foods such as white bread, pasta, potatoes and chips. Among other things, these carbs cause glycation, which breaks down the collagen in skin cells and causes premature aging, wrinkles and sagging skin. Opt for carrot sticks, celery or any fresh vegetable or fruit. Learn to love hummus and yogurt-based dips instead of fat-filled cream cheese and sour cream.

When it comes to your reflection, you can be your own toughest critic. Even that favorite outfit can feel off-limits because of stubborn fat that resists diet and exercise. But the CoolSculpting procedure shapes what you see without surgery or downtime, so you’ll look great from every angle. With over 1 million CoolSculpting procedures worldwide, people everywhere are getting a better view of themselves thanks to individual treatment plans tailored specifically to their bodies.

Clothes fit better, feel better, look better.

Before

Before

16 Weeks After Session 16 Weeks After Session

Procedure by John B. Fasano, MD | (No weight change)

FDA-cleared, safe and effective.