My Beauty Boot Camp

Bulking Up or Fat Burning?

Is there such a thing as bulking up?

by Amy Neal, GOB Owner and Body Builder

So let's talk about "bulking up". Here is an example of a scenario played out in gyms across the country everyday. Two women have been working out for months, even years, and talking about why their bodies are the exact same shape as when they started. “I’ve been going to the gym forever, and I have not lost a pound!” Then somewhere along the way, the topic of bulking comes up. “If I just look at a weight, I put on muscle!” or “ The last time I worked with a trainer, within 2 months I put on so much muscle, all my pants were tight.”

What about the much feared bulking up? Is there such a thing? Yes, but it’s NOT from putting on too much muscles. Nor is it because your shoulders or your legs responded quickly to the “heavy” weight. (What would all those skinny men, with skinny legs, that lift and lift and still do not put on weight say about these claims?)

The fact is, bulking up does not happen to women unless there is no effort applied to fat burning. The idea is to lift heavy and get out of your comfort zone so that your body responds by breaking down the muscle and building you back up stronger and leaner. What people refer to as bulking up is describing the larger appearance that exists when the same amount of fat remains of top of the newly developed muscle. The ideal scenario is to burn fat, build muscle, lose inches and have sculpted muscle. This results in an overall smaller body. The concept is hard for women to grasp but the only way to get the fat off is to lift weights that challenge the muscles to grow and increase the body’s amount of lean body mass. Remember, a pound of muscle burns 50 + calories at rest every day; a pound of fat burns only 2-5 calories per day. This shows that the more lean muscle a person has, the more calories are burned at rest, even during sleep. In edition, the more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you will burn off during workouts.

So, if you find yourself having this conversation with your workout partner, stop! We can’t argue with the science. Continue to work hard, lift heavy weights, and you will jump start your metabolism. Beware of other factors that may be causing you to hold on to bodyfat, such as eating processed foods, going hours without food, or not eating enough protein and paradoxically, doing too much cardio/aerobic activity.

If I want my hair to grow, why cut it?

It Is Easy to Grow Out Your Length If You Have a Plan
Todd Suttles, Noland Suttles Salon

The number one, most misunderstood fact of all hair cutting history is the belief that if you want your hair to grow, you should stop cutting it. And here is why: hair is a fiber, it unravels on the end. The best analogy I can use is that of a string. We all know when you cut a blunt end on the string and give it a short period of wear & tear, the end begins to unravel. When this happens with hair, we call it split ends. There is NOTHING that will repair, or prevent split ends. Split ends is just what hair does. If you purchased a product that promises to repair split ends, you have been had.

What you don't realize is that as the hair splits on the end, small microscopic pieces of it break off. I am sure you have seen a person that "won't cut her hair because she wants it to get longer". For years she has been not cutting, and it stays at the same length getting fuzzier as each year passes. It is breaking off the ends as quickly as it grows; net length accumulation is ZERO!

Q. Why does my hair feel lighter after a hair cut?    -It is not the weight of the hair that has been removed, it is the absence of tiny little tangles between hairs on the end caused by split ends getting stuck together.

Q. Why does my hair grow faster right after I get a haircut?   -It does not. What is actually happening is you have stopped the microscopic breakage of split ends and are accumulating length.

Q. So then, How DO I grow my hair longer?  -That requires three things: 1) never cut more than it has grown since the last cut. 2) cut frequently enough that the split ends are on the tip ends, not up into the hair shaft; 3) find a stylist who knows how to transition your style as best as possible while it grows all the while remembering and following the long term plan.

Crash Diet

Why not to “Crash Diet,” go for the “Quick Fix” or “Starve Yourself”

by Audrae Hughes, Certified Personal Trainer

How many of us have wanted to drop a quick 5, 10 or 20 lbs, in a few days?
Most of us have wanted to be ready for that beach trip, fit into that old tux or look great for a hot date or high school reunion. We figure, “I will cut out breakfast, have a shake for lunch, eat a small dinner, drink lots of water and diet coke to make it through until I look hot!” Great plan, right?
WRONG!

Anytime you lose weight by severely limiting your calories you are giving yourself a false sense of accomplishment…a false sense of success. In fact, you are actually setting yourself up for more weight loss difficulties in the future.  read more

Q. How do I get rid of my acne?

Healthy Skin 101

Q. How do I get rid of my acne?

Your first line of defense is knowledge. If you know and understand your skin you will be better equipped to fight acne.

Clogged pores are what cause blackheads. If you have oily skin and a tendency towards blackheads you won't be able to completely avoid them, but you can help yourself a lot in keeping your skin clear by following a good cleansing routine.

Using skin care products that have been created for treating blackheads is your best tactic. A simple Glycolic and or Salicylic Acid solution applied twice daily to control oil and prevent the accumulation of dead skin cells that create the blockage at the mouth of the pore opening is your first step on the road to prevention.

If you have a severe case of blackheads, don't think twice -- go to a professional and have your skin properly treated with a deep pore cleansing treatment. If you suffer from mild to severe acne, (blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and pustules) finding the right products and treatments may take some time and patience.

The comedone (small closed pore blackhead) is the first sign of inflammatory acne (papules, pustules and cysts). Untreated this condition could lead to a serious acne condition, so we recommend you get started on the road to prevention! Seeking the help and advice of a professional (whether it be a dermatologist or a clinically trained esthetician) is always a good thing to do. At Institut’ DERMed we are always available for a complimentary consultation and complete skin analysis to help educate you about your skins condition

What are Enzymes? What do they contribute?

Amazing Enzymes
Charlotte, Institut' DERMed

Enzymes help regulate the processes our bodies need to function.  Although our bodies produce enzymes, we can sometimes lack the necessary enzymes for breaking down molecules which is why enzyme-rich foods and supplements are so popular.  Enzymes are naturally derived from plants, animals and marine life.

The use of enzymes for cosmetic purposes dates back hundreds of years.  Enzymes break down and dissolve proteins and are an excellent exfoliator.  Plant enzymes, such as those found in papaya and pumpkin, soften and break down dead skin enough for it to be removed.  After an enzyme peel treatment the skin feels and looks smooth and radiant.

Enzyme treatments are particularly good for people with acne, but a herbal enzyme peel treatment is also an excellent choice for someone with sensitive skin who still needs a good exfoliation.  Because enzymes also help collagen production they are a very popular choice for people desiring aging skin prevention.

Enzymes are only active when they are moist.  While some take home products come moist in a container (such as Institut’ DERMed’s enzyme peeling cream) most professional strength enzymes are in a powder form that is then mixed with an activator at the time of a treatment. This is to maximize the effect of the enzyme as much as possible. Applying steam during the treatment will also cause the enzyme to stay active longer and penetrate deeper. Once an enzyme application becomes dry it is no longer effective. 

Enzymes can be combined with acids for an intensive treatment, but this is truly best left to professionals.  To prolong professional results, an at home weekly enzyme peel with a low concentration enzyme will accelerate the turnover of old skin cells and stimulate the growth of new ones keeping skin looking fresh and radiant. 

Enzymes can: digest impurities, exfoliate, refine, soothe, lighten, refresh, promote new cell growth, assist collagen production, reduce hyper-pigmentation, reduce fine lines, improve skin tone and texture and plump up skin. Now that’s amazing

Luxury and Ultimate Body Care; Jenny Shares Her Secrets

Jenny of Institut' DERMed shares her secrets! Read More

Fun Facts - How Many Oil Glands Are In A Square Inch of Your Skin?

There are 3,900,000 cells per square inch of skin.

Your skin is a major sensory organ and contains 32 feet of nerves per square inch.

Your skin has over 8 feet of blood vessels per square inch.

Your epidermis accounts for only 10% of your skin mass.

Your skin continues to grow after your muscle, fat, and skeletal structures begin to deteriorate.

One square inch of skin contains 95-100 sebaceous (oil) glands, 9,500,000 cells, 650 sweat glands, and 65 hairs

Detox: Reclaim your Healthy Glow

Jeri Ross, MPH
Institut’ DERMed Health Educator

Have you tried a simple detox plan yet?  Following some basic body cleansing techniques with modifications in eating habits can improve your skin tone, reduce cellulite, slim the body and give you vitality and mental clarity.   

Detoxification doesn’t have to be a big deal. You don’t have to fast or take time off work to realize health and beauty benefits.  Of course you can take your cleanse to more serious levels, but the main thing is to make the decision and get started.  A short detoxifying program is generally safe; in fact, scientific studies show that a detox is beneficial for health.

Detoxifying is not recommended for nursing mothers, children, and patients with chronic degenerative diseases, cancer or tuberculosis. Consult your health care practitioner if you have questions about whether detoxing is right for you.

What is detoxification?    READ MORE

Skin Care Fun Facts -

Did you know? 

On average, your epidermis (the outermost layer of skin) regenerates new cells every 27 to 37 days. (14 days for a 20 year old, 37 days for a 50 year old)

This process is most intensive at night, with cell regeneration taking place 8 times faster between the hours of 2 and 3 a.m., than during any other time of day

As the skin regenerates, it sloughs off dead cells amounting to approximately one gram per day. During the average lifetime, you will lose approximately 44 pounds of skin.

Women and Weight Training, Recipe Tip

Research shows that women (and men) lose more than 5 pounds of lean body mass every decade of life due to disuse.  So the 10 pound per decade increase in bodyweight actually represents a 20 pound problem with respect to body composition.  Losing muscle is like going from an eight-cylinder to a four cylinder engine.  When our resting metabolic rate slows down, calories that were previously used by muscle tissue are now routed into fat storage.  In other words, the progressive weight gain known as "the middle age spread" is typically due to fewer calories being burned rather than more calories being consumed.   ...MORE