After my first child was born, I went back to work wearing … maternity clothes! What a downer. Have you ever seen pictures of movie stars with their three week old baby – who looked ready for the model's runway? Don't you hate them? :-) Our guest author today has some insights into their rapid recovery.
I confess: I love flipping through those gossip magazines at the checkout stand when I'm waiting in line. I'm particularly entertained by features about celebrities who went from flabby to fabulous in a matter of weeks. Despite the dramatic before-and-after photos, the superstars generally insist that their overnight slim-downs were due to diet and fitness, not plastic surgery.
Fact … or fiction?
Curious to uncover the inside story, I conducted some research, using the websites of reputable organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, WebMD and board-certified plastic surgeons. Here's the skinny:
Myth 1: Dramatic Weight Loss Does Not Affect Your Skin
Fact: Whether you're a celebrity or not, sagging skin typically remains after significant weight loss. Boston post-weight-loss specialist Dr. Michael Tantillo's website revealed that the skin cannot "re-tighten" on its own after losing so much weight.
Insiders tip: When a celebrity claims that a 50-pound weight loss and the resulting tight tummy and impeccably sculpted body are totally due to diet and fitness, it’s probably a little white lie. In reality, it was most likely a combination of diet, exercise and procedures such as a body lift and liposuction, both of which Dr. Tantillo offer at his Boston plastic surgery practice. (http://www.cosmeticsurgeonboston.com/dr-tantillo.cfm)
Myth 2: Fitness & Diet Can Even Tackle "Trouble Spots"
Fact: Love handles. Tummy pooch. Muffin top. You can come up with cutesy names for those bulges —but that doesn't change the fat facts. For almost everyone, exercise and diet alone can't sculpt these frustrating "trouble spots."
If the celebrity's "before" photo shows a belly bulge that Santa Claus would envy, followed by an "after" photo highlighting six-pack abs, it's likely that only some of the credit should go to diet and exercise. The rest, typically, is courtesy of a body contouring procedure such as a tummy tuck.
Myth 3: Celebrity Moms Use Only Diet to Restore Their Pre-baby Bodies
Fact: Celebrity moms who look perfect just a few months after their pregnancies don't all rely on diet and exercise alone. Some of them also turn to their plastic surgeons. How can you tell? Take a good look at the "before" photos that typically appear with one of those articles. They usually feature a celebrity mom about a week after she's given birth. That poochy tummy, the sagging breasts and the not-so-lovable love handles look as if they would take at least a year to transform via a healthy diet and exercise program. And yet, the "after" photos, often taken just 3 months later, show a flat tummy, perky breasts and enviably slim hips. It’s likely that those dramatic changes reflect a combination of a dedicated diet, intense exercise and a cosmetic surgery combo known as the Mommy Makeover. This procedure usually combines body contouring surgery, such as a tummy tuck, with breast enhancement techniques, such as a breast lift.
So if you're trying to get fit but you feel discouraged when you see photos of those dramatic celebrity transformations, avoid comparisons. For most of them, the truth is probably similar to Jane Fonda's honest confession: "I owe 30% to genes, 30% to good sex, 30% because of sports and healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, and for the remaining 10%, I have to thank my plastic surgeon."
A former journalist and public relations specialist, Joanne Eglash works in the medical marketing industry and specializes in copywriting for clients in the health and wellness sphere. Joanne has an M.S. in nutrition and writes about a variety of lifestyles topics. Those who are interested in more information about Boston plastic surgery can visit this practice's website.
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