Wedding Day Success

Every bride strives to look their best on their wedding day.  The dress, the hair, the nails, and the make-up are all combined to create one beautiful picture.  But these days, one aspect has become increasing important to those walking down the aisle: the body!  Achieving a healthy, slim, and defined figure has become a wedding day ingredient that many brides see as non-negotiable.  But how can a bride achieve the perfect wedding-day body? The first thing that needs to be considered is time.  Obviously, the more time that you have before the big day the greater the transformation possible and the less stressful it will be to accomplish a renovation of your figure.  Ideally, the bride-to-be needs to consider starting an exercise and lifestyle program 3 to 6 months prior to the wedding, as this will allow for a healthy transition that can be maintained long after the b ig day has passed.  If a bride finds herself with only 6 weeks left, it is certainly not time to panic.   All hope is not lost, but the bride must realize that drastic fitness and eating routines are not the way to go.

For the bride to embark on a successful fitness routine she must combine cardiovascular exercise with resistance training.  The two go hand-in-hand when it comes to achieving a slim and defined shape.  When paired with a smart eating plan, these methods of training will encourage a daily caloric deficit (the body burns more calories than it takes in) and therefore weight loss.  Where cardio training elicits the use of calories for energy during exercise, resistance training will encourage the development of lean muscle tissue and therefore enhance the burn of calories when the body is at rest.  What more could a bride want than to burn calories while sitting still! It is also important to consider the specific areas of the body that you want to target.  For most brides, the areas of the body that will command attention on the big day are the shoulders, arms and back.

Resistance training (when the muscles of the body are trained by applying resistance to a movement) is immensely beneficial in the improvement of these areas, and will enable the bride to tone and define without gaining unwanted bulk.  Methods of resistance training include using ones own body weight, stretch bands, weighted machines, and dumbbells. The use of free weights as a form of resistance training is particularly effective because both sides of the body have to work equally hard, whereas with most weighted machines the stronger side of your body will dominate and do the work for the weaker side. Building both sides of the body together gives you a more balanced appearance, a definite plus when wearing your dress. Adjustable free weights are also great in that they tend to be inexpensive, are portable, and take up little space so you can complete your workouts in the comfort of your own home.   But brides-to-be please remember that whether you use weight machines or free weights, proper technique is essential to achieving the results you want while avoiding injury.

Incorporating the help of a personal trainer will ensure your safety in this respect. Ladies take note: when you target particular body parts you must keep in mind that ‘spot-reduction’ is simply not possible.  Spot reduction is the idea that if you work a specific muscle group you will decrease the amount of fat in that area.  Abdominal crunches are a great example.  Many people perform hundreds of sit-ups on a daily basis and are confused as to why that stubborn layer of fat will not shift.  The reason for this is simple: a muscle does not own the fat that surrounds it. Sit-ups, for example, will strengthen your abdominal muscles but will not get rid of the layer of fat that is covering the muscles.

As mentioned above, a combination of cardiovascular and resistance training is essential and will enable the bride to lose fat anywhere on the body, including the problem areas.  While the upper body is exposed, the mid-section is commonly hidden beneath the gorgeous gown.  This does not mean you should forget all about it.  On the contrary!  The most common post-wedding occasion is the honeymoon and who wants more than to be able to strap on the bikini and expose a strong and slim stomach.

We have already discussed the importance of cardio and resistance in reducing fat and so lessening weight in the gut area. When it comes to the actual strengthening of the core, it is important to remember quality over quantity.  A common mistake that most make when working their core (the upper and lower abdominals and back muscles) is to perform numerous repetitions of a single exercise, for example 100 sit ups.  Here’s an insider tip: in order develop the abdominals an exercise must be hard enough so that you cannot perform any more than 8 to 12 repetitions.  That’s right!  Only 8 to 12!

Regardless of the fitness routine followed, ultimate success will only occur when a proper eating plan is established.  Not only will this help shift stubborn pounds, it will also improve the condition of your skin, nails and teeth.  Foods to avoid include anything white (white sugar, flour, pasta) because they have been refined to a point where they provide little if any nutritional value. In addition, many such foods trigger insulin responses in the body that cause glucose to be stored as glycogen in muscles, when the muscle stores are full the glucose will be taken up by fat cells and stored as fat, not something we are striving for when shaping up for a wedding!  Though this may sound like a tip from the obvious department, it bears repeating that fried foods and other treats loaded with trans fats will put you on the fast track to weight gain.  Foods to load up on include green leafy plants and vegetables (these have some of the best nutritional profiles of all foods), good sources of protein (for example quinoa, beans, hemp hearts, fish, lean cuts of meat), healthy oils (those containing monounsaturated fats, omega 3 fats, and omega 6 fats), and of course fruit.  Do not forget, water is the source of all life!  Drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day a limit intake of coffee, alcohol, and any sugared drinks.  Also, If possible, avoid eating 2 hours before you go to bed.  Your body is ready for healing and repairing and any energy you take in will likely be taken up and stored. Brides to be, please remember that last minute, radical fasting plans shock the body and can result in digestive problems, skin conditions, and a whole host of other problems.  Avoid at all costs!  In addition, rest is vital when taking part in an exercise program.

Though exercise provides great stress-relief, overtraining can lead to exhaustion and injury and can end up creating more stress in the already demanding life of the bride.  Lastly, while they can be expensive, many brides have found that they have been transformed in a relatively short space of time by incorporating the help of a personal trainer.  If you can find a way to work this in to your budget, you can almost be guaranteed success in reaching your fitness goals.  You are beginning a new chapter in your life, so enter it with style!