Get Fit

Blame it solely on the Thanksgiving binge, or on the many dinners of Hanukkah, or on the overindulgence of Christmas, but what it comes down to is that the entire holiday season means weight gain for the great majority of us. When you’re starting to see the effects of one too many fudge squares, you decide to take action. Last year, you tried a crash diet. This year, let’s try something a little more long-term.

Weight loss programs get complicated when you introduce the social aspect of eating. We don’t invite friends over for a nice dinner of raw kale and half a grapefruit, and it’s always a little awkward to order egg whites and dry wheat toast when going out for a decadent brunch with friends. Solution: meet up at M.A.K. Bristol Nutrition instead for a nutritious, protein-filled smoothie lunch, available in 20 flavors. You can even heat things up (with hot, energy-boosting tea) or do a few shots (aloe shots, that is).

Cedarz Medical and Cosmetic Center offers a different approach to weight loss: non-invasive laser fat removal. Zerona is the cool-laser technology that is used to remove fat from problem areas: thighs, love handles, upper arms, the works. The treatment encourages fat cells to release from the body’s fatty tissue. Cedarz believes that the results of laser fat removal are comparable to liposuction when paired with a healthy diet and an exercise routine.

Eat to live, don’t live to eat... right? Perhaps the key to controlling over-eating this January lies in heightened awareness of the body. Yoga and meditation can promote more mindful eating by focusing the mind on the experience of eating. Are you really hungry or just stressed out? If the idea of meditative silence in your own home sounds impossible, Bristol Yoga Studio holds open meditation from 8-9:15am on Wednesdays.

426 Fitness in Warren has cutting-edge workout equipment (including the only virtual indoor golf course in the state), personal trainers, a dozen different group exercises, but most notably, they have Greg Salgueiro. A registered and licensed dietitian, Salgueiro’s 14 years of experience in fitness and wellness programming lends a perfect background to his role at 426 Fitness, working with clients to optimize their health by focusing on proper food intake. Salgueiro works Mondays and Wednesdays, by appointment only. He can be reached by email. 426 Fitness also hosts Weight Watchers meetings and monthly nutritional talks.