8 Ways to Change Your Looks and Your Life

Eat Your Way to Gorgeous

Somewhere between Black Friday and January 2, the effects of holiday overindulgence start to take their toll. Exhibit A: tired eyes, too-snug jeans, and through-the-roof stress. But you don't have to live like this another day. FITNESS asked the pros at Canyon Ranch Health Resorts in Tucson, Arizona, and Lenox, Massachusetts, along with several other experts, for the latest and most effective beauty, nutrition, exercise, and de-stressing strategies. These easy-to-incorporate tips will get you feeling balanced and looking more beautiful, stat!

Before reaching for that cookie, chew on this: For every single gram of refined carbohydrates (think sugary desserts and white breads and pastas) that we consume, our bodies retain 2.7 grams of water, says Jeffrey Morrison, MD, a nutrition specialist in New York City. Short term, that can mean a bloated belly and puffy eyes, but over time you'll notice flaky skin, brittle hair, and chipped nails. "That's because refined carbs contain no moisturizing fatty acids or protective antioxidants," Dr. Morrison explains. He suggests eating two one-cup servings of antioxidant-rich fruits (blueberries are a great source) a day and two five-ounce servings of fish (wild salmon and Atlantic mackerel are two of the healthiest choices) per week.