Blame it on Kim Kardashian, although I would like to think people are actually realizing that a high, tight butt is the ultimate sign of a fit, healthy person, but butt enhancement surgeries have claimed the top spot as 2011′s top cosmetic procedure.

Big butts have long been praised by men as a sexy asset, while women have strived for tiny, tight rear ends for years. Now, it seems women are starting to get the message that big butts are in, and are willing to go under the knife to get one. There are two types of big rears, however: the dimply, flat and wide butt that comes with a sedentary lifestyle and high BMI and the round, pert rear that looks awesome in your favorite pair of yoga pants. While surgery may get you the latter by injecting fat into strategic areas, the only way to get a butt you can be proud of is to put in the work.

The glutes are terribly, horribly, outrageously overlooked in most people’s fitness routines. Many think that your butt is the shape it is meant to be, and you just have to deal with it. Not so. Your glutes are completely under your control, and if you want a firm, tight butt, with no crease below your buns and upper thigh, you gotta work for it, and cardio isn’t going to do jack to get any results.

By putting in just a little effort and focusing on the muscles that give you a more shapely backside, you will be shocked how quickly you see your butt lift and round out. While traditional squats and lunges will hit them a bit, really focus on the glutes with these easy to do exercises you can perform anywhere.

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By Alicia Rose

The body contouring procedure normally follows extreme weight loss due to diet and exercise over the course of one to two years or gastric bypass surgery. Body contouring after weight loss is the combination of a lower body lift around the buttocks, groin, hips and thighs, mastopexy (breast), brachioplasty (arms) and adominoplasty (abdomen), and all of the surgeries are normally undergone in stages. Each of the individual procedures accounts for a anesthesia, facility or hospital, and surgeon’s fee, in addition to post-surgery garments, prescriptions and pre-surgical medical lab testing.

Throughout these procedures, the patient’s loose and sagging skin will be removed and the surgical areas will be cosmetically restructured and contoured. The skin is surgically cut away and remaining skin is connected and closed with dissolvable internal sutures and external stitches that are removed about a week or two after your surgery, or skin adhesives and surgical tape. Often, a drain is applied by inserting a tiny tube under the skin to collect excess fluid. Following the procedure, bandages are applied to the incision sites. Surgical areas are normally also wrapped to minimize swelling in compression garments.

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A recent episode of the Oprah show featured Cybill Shepherd, Linda Evans and Teri Hatcher, icons of the movie and television world who are all famous for their looks. As women who are aging gracefully, they have all struggled with how to do so, while mostly avoiding Botox and other forms of plastic surgery. (Hatcher has admitted to Botox and Evans had plastic surgery. Neither one regrets it, but neither is planning to do further work.)

Aging is something that happens (hopefully) to all of us, and it is a booming business both in stores and online. The reality of aging can lead many women to consider crazy options, both surgical and herbal. Not all of these are safe, and many of them have serious consequences. As our population ages, many more people are afflicted with chronic diseases and conditions that can cause aging to speed up and in many cases, affect the looks. There are many diets advertised to help slow or reverse the aging process, and although there are some foods with proven anti-aging properties, such as salmon, green tea and garlic – there really is no magic food.

All is not lost though! There are several habits that you can begin that will help you age gracefully and can help you maintain a healthier body.
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By Alicia Rose

Best known as a trainer and coach on NBC’s hit TV shows The Biggest Loser and Losing It With Jillian, Jillian Michaels is an amazing motivator, personal trainer and guide to nearly 15 million viewers every week. However, before she was a successful television star, Michaels struggled to maintain her weight and admits that continuous teasing by her peers about her appearance led her to undergo plastic surgery.

“In eighth grade, I weighed 175 pounds and my nose was the size of a softball,” Jillian Michaels told Parade’s Healthy Style. “Once, I was sitting at lunch and got surrounded by a bunch of kids who let me have it about how ugly I was: my uni-brow, the size of my nose, the fat rolling over my jeans. It was pure hell. My mom had to pull me out and put me in another school.”

Rhinoplasty, more commonly known as a nose job, seemed to be a remedy to the vicious teasing from her peers.

“I had my nose done,” she admitted, “I felt much better about myself. Plastic surgery is a very personal decision.”
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Exercise is the best and safest way to improve the appearance of the body. Exercise not only improves your appearance, it reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It has also been proven to improve energy levels, sleep, and reduce stress. I definitely recommend implementing exercise into your daily routine, even as much as 30 minutes most days of the week is a great place to get started.

If you’re one of the many people considering plastic surgery, then you need to know exercise is imperative before doing so. By implementing cardiovascular and weight training along with proper stretching into your daily routine, your body will be well prepared for the surgery. This type of conditioning will strengthen your heart, firm your body, and will help quicken the post-surgery recovery. I recommend performing 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular training four to five days a week, at least 30 minutes of weight training three days a week, and stretching five to six days a week. Rest is also an important pre-surgery recommendation. Proper rest will ensure safety and success!
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