Are You Ready to Get Your Glow On?

I am so proud of all of my clients — from the virtual ones to the celebrities. During awards season I am slammed with requests to sculpt bodies to peak performance. Walking the red carpet is the time to celebrate success and project their inner beauty. My clients don’t just look good they glow from their skin to their hair to their creative beauty.

Perhaps you, too, are ready to unleash your inner J.Lo? Maybe you’re preparing for something like a wedding or a class reunion? Or you’ve had a health scare such as pre-diabetes or fatty liver disease and your doctor has suggested you drop some weight? Maybe you’ve reached a plateau in your weight loss journey and you need help getting the scale moving again? In my new book, The Burn, I offer the strategies I use in my clinics to help clients effect a total body transformation in as little as three days with one of my targeted eating plans. These high-speed body makeover plans are prescriptive tools for metabolic micro-repair that will have an immediate impact on your body, scale and energy level.

The Burn plans are highly effective because they are laser-focused on the three most common causes of weight gain and problems in the body: inflammation and water retention (I-Burn), digestive issues (D-Burn) and hormonal imbalance (H-Burn). Depending on which of these issues you are experiencing, or which is causing you the most difficulty (many people have problems with more than one), you may choose whichever of the three Burn plans is most appropriate. To find out which Burn plan is best for you, take the quiz.

In addition to The Burn, here are some other quick tips for looking and feeling your best for your next big event:

Skip the booze

Alcohol makes your liver work extra hard. It doesn’t have any nutritional value, so your liver wastes time processing booze instead of fat. If you have a big event coming up, lay off the hooch for a week or so. (Of course, it’s good to limit your intake in general.) For more on alcohol’s effects on your body, see Booze and Your Body.

Sleep it off

Not getting enough sleep not only makes you feel worn out, it also does a number on your metabolism. If you’re preparing for a big event, you’re probably a little stressed out too. Stress and lack of sleep are a deadly combo that pushes your body into survival mode. That means extra belly fat you don’t want. And definitely don’t drink coffee to make up for lack of energy; caffeine can make under-eye circles look worse—not what you want before a big event!

Detox with a dry brush

Dry brushing takes seconds—and its detoxifying benefits equal that of an hour-long massage. Hey, if you can spring for a massage, then go for it. But dry brushing costs nothing and has similar benefits to your lymphatic system. Dry brush every morning before your shower; here’s how.

Snack on adrenal-calming fruit and anti-inflammatory foods

Avoid processed foods and sugar. Instead, load up on berries, Asian pears, lemons and limes. Asian pears in particular are great for reducing inflammation (especially the ankle-swelling that can come with wearing super-high heels). And eat plenty of anti-inflammatory foods too, such as salmon, radish, cucumber, jicama and dark leafy greens, which can reduce bloating, puffy eyes and blemishes. Dandelion tea is also great. For about a week before your event, avoid red meat and dairy, and lay off vegetables from the nightshade family like tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant and white potatoes. These foods can cause inflammation.

Don’t starve yourself

If you want to drop a few pounds before your event, don’t fall for the starvation routine. It actually has the opposite effect on your body! Instead, eat regular meals and snacks of whole foods: lean meats, whole grains and tons of veggies. Skip processed foods, wheat, corn and soy, which slow down your metabolism.

Sip “Camera-Ready Tea“

For three nights before your big day, try sipping this home-made detox tea before bed. In a saucepan, add 12 ounces water, 2 Tbls. fresh parsley, and the juice of two lemons plus the rinds. Boil for a few minutes. Strain and add a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of Stevia for sweetness.