Get in Shape Before the Big Day

Hi, everyone! Today we are going to talk about a subject that I enjoy and that is fitness! I’m a weird one. I actually enjoy working out and eating healthy MOST of the time. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy a good margarita from time to time! Taking time to work out helps to relieve stress and gives me a sense of accomplishment.

You are probably wondering right now, “that’s great, but how does that apply to me?” Today we are going to discuss how to start a work out and healthy eating plan before the big wedding day. We are also going to discuss setting fitness goals and how to stick to those goals in order to achieve the best version of “you” before the big day.

When the partner of your dreams pops the question and wedding planning begins, it is natural for you, the bride, to begin to envision how how you will look on your big day. From the wedding gown, to the shoes, the veil, the hair and makeup, you want everything to be perfect! For many brides, this includes hitting the gym for a pre wedding day boost. (10)

Choosing an exercise routine and diet plan may seem harder than choosing a wedding reception venue. As with any big decision, it takes some narrowing of choices. Whichever one you choose to follow, you’ll want it to offer the most maximum energy and fun. You should consider your desired stress style and the assets that you want to show off of your body. You should also consider your current physical abilities. (2

Here are some tips, gathered from many resources, to help you jumpstart your pre wedding fitness plan:

1. Accept where you are. When you look in the mirror and take stock of all the “needs improvement” areas, you may think you’re building up the perfect work out motivation, but you are wrong. “You have to accept this is where you are and you have to embrace it and celebrate it, “say Rodrick Covington, CEO and founder of Core Rhythm Fitness. Though it might sound counterintuitive, he says this mind set safeguards against self sabotage. “If you can not accept that first wherever you go, you won’t accept it-nothing will be good enough. (1)

2. Start early. This applies to both the time of day to get a work out in and your overall weight loss timeline. Covington suggests an early morning sweat session to help create healthy habits and to get it out of the way earlier in the day. As for an overall weight loss timeline, the earlier you start the better. “If you have 10-20 pounds to release, I would say you need three months minimum to lose it. If you have over 20 pounds to release, you will need a minimum of six months,” says Covington. (1) Pop Sugar Fitness recommends starting your pre wedding exercise and nutrition plan six months before the wedding date. They recommend purchasing a journal so you can begin recording the following information:

a. Weekly measurements and weight

b. Food and workout diary

c. Sleep and mood changes

d. Work out schedule (8)

“If your wedding is two months away, don’t fool yourself and cause unnecessary stress by vowing to lose 40 pounds before the wedding. Determine the true timeline you are working within and the realistic number you can achieve,” says Lynn Bode, personal trainer and owner of the online fitness program “Workouts for Brides”. (9)

3. Get yourself a team. Whether it’s your bride tribe, future spouse, or a personal trainer, get as many people on board with your fitness goals as you possibly can. It’s great if you can find a work out buddy, but if not, even the knowledge that people are rooting for you can go a long way. (1)

4. Start small and set goals. “The thing about beginners,” cautions Covington, “is that working out feels like a mountain. It feels like something that is ginormous. The way to move a mountain is to make small changes.” He suggests not creating a work out plan that is overly ambitious nor to cut out all of your favorite foods entirely. He also suggests setting a goal to work out two to three times a week tops to begin with. With each weeks that you stick to your plan, your confidence and fitness level will improve. (1) “Keep a consistent, diverse training regimen, increasing in frequency and intensity each week,” says David Rosenbaum, certified trainer with Veluxe, an on demand wellness and beauty app. “I see too many people train too intensely and then burn out as their goal or event nears. (3) The concept of taking baby steps is true. Habits are developed with increased practice, so setting lofty expectations for yourself without patience can deter you in pivotal moments. With each tiny victory, you will see yourself move ahead. (7)

5. Don’t skimp on nutrition. Nutrition is 80% of body designing. Your body is either going absorb what you are eating or burn it. A diet high in protein and fruits and vegetables and low on processed foods is the way to go but don’t mourn the food you have to give up. “Instead of thinking about giving it up, you want to think about choosing differently,” says Covington. This small change in thinking can help make the process feel empowering instead of like a punishment. (1) “Not eating enough can sabotage your wedding weight loss effort just as much as overeating can,” says Bode. “When you don’t eat enough, your body begins to hold onto the calories you consume and turns them into fat. So, even if you lost weight on a starvation diet, you aren’t doing yourself any favors because the lack of nutrition will diminish your muscle mass while increasing your fat storage.” (2) Focus on simple, healthy meals. When you’re planning your wedding, you don’t want to start an overly rigid or quirky fad diet. This could just add to the stress you are under already. Keep your nutrition simple for an easy, no fuss wedding diet that works. Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains should make up most of your meals. Minimize sugar, skip calorie laden soda and coffee lattes, and cut out carbs like white pasta, rice, cereals, and potato chips. Tracking calories is a good way to ensure that you are staying on track with your diet. Download a calorie tracking app onto your smart phone and input what you eat every day. This will help you ensure that you are not over or under eating. Planning is key when it comes to healthy eating. When you are planning your wedding, you’re most likely focusing on the odds and ends of preparing for your big day but don’t let your busy life get in the way of healthy eating. Www.weddingdress.com suggests carving out at least one hour per week for healthy meal planning. Devise a healthy, realistic plan while keeping your daily schedule in mind. (9) I suggest using a meal planning app. I have used www.emeals.com for eleven years now. Emeals offers a wide variety of weekly meal plans for any diet you may be on. Examples of the meal plans that they offer are Keto, Clean Eating, Paleo, Gluten Free, Heart Healthy, Thirty Minute Meals, Crockpot Meals, Budget Friendly Meals, and many more. Emeals will send you a new seven day meal plan once a week. You can delete any meal that you may not use from the plan. For my family, I only use about four meals a week because my family eats leftovers. Along with the meal plan, the recipes and a shopping list are included. You can even order your groceries directly from Emeals using InstaCart. This meal planning app has been a lifesaver for me because I hate planning out meals by myself. Planning meals a week at a time cuts down on grocery store trips and helps me stay on track with healthy eating.

6. Skip the scale. After a few days of working out and eating healthy, it may be tempting to step on the scale to monitor your progress. The results can be extremely frustrating. Many times, women can lose inches but maintain the same weight. If your clothes fit better and you feel better, the number on the scale shouldn’t matter. Process has nothing to do with a number. (1) Rather than using the time leading up to your big day to whittle yourself down to some magic number, take this time to become the healthiest version of you. (2)

7. Get more sleep. Sleep is one of the most fundamental of our bodily functions. It is conducive to helping us maintain a healthy diet. Getting more sleep helps our body naturally curb our appetite and we make better food choices when well rested. (4) When exercising, sleep is very important for muscle gain and recovery, as well as for weight loss. It is essential to have a daily plan and stick to it. You need to develop a routine for all of your daily activities. A continuous routine will balance your hormone production, and as a result, your circadian rhythm will sync with your regular sleep/wake up times. It will shorten the amount of time you need to fall asleep and will help make waking up in the morning easier. Exercising close to bedtime can keep you alert and make it harder to fall asleep. It is best to avoid working out four or five hours before bed. (5) If you are not getting the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night, you need to rethink your schedule so you can make sure that you do. You then need to figure out how to fit in your work out routine without sacrificing your sleep. (6)

While conducting my research for this article, I came across a list of fitness apps that I believe are worth mentioning. Here are five wedding fitness apps suggest by www.womangettingmarried.com:

1. Jillian Micheals Wedding Warrior Program-this app offers meals plans, recipes, community focused social support, and customized workouts and programs.

2. ShopWell-this app breaks down the confusion when it comes to reading nutrition labels. After filling in your age, gender, and diet needs, all you have to do is head to the grocery store and start scanning labels. The app will rank the item from 0-100 in order to help you choose the healthiest option for you.

3. Spring-this app is for runners. It curates music playlists that sync both to your musical taste and stride. It helps to make the run more fun while keeping you on pace.

4. Fit Star Personal Trainer-after completing a quiz to determine your current fitness level, you will be given videos by NFL athlete Tony Gonzales which are tailored to your needs.

5. Sworkit-from a five minute ab routine to a one hour sweat session, this app has just about every workout a busy fitness beginner needs. You can select workouts based on your fitness goals such as leanness, strength, and overall fitness. (10)

I hope this article has given you a good starting point and the tools you need to achieve your pre wedding fitness goals. Just remember, you are already beautiful the way that you are and I’m sure your soon to be spouse agrees! However, beginning a healthy eating plan and work out routine is a good idea no matter what stage of life you are in. Till next time!

Resources:

1. “Want to Be in the Best Shape of Your Life on Your Wedding Day? Read This First”. Ellie Finn. Www.marthastewart.com

2. “The Stay-Same, Get Strong Workout Plan for the Bride to Be”. Jessica Solloway and Lori Walters. Www.shape.com

3. “How to Get in Shape for Your Wedding”. Katie Bianco. Www.weddingwire.com

4. “6 Rules for Making Sure Your Wedding Diet isn’t Overkill”. Jenn Sinrich. Www.weddingwire.com

5. “Sleep and Exercise-Facts, Benefits, and Better Sleep Tips”. Iva. www.countingsheep.net

6. “The Intimate Relationship Between Fitness and Sleep”. Ashley Mateo. Www.everydayhealth.com

7. “The Wellness and Fitness Rules all Couples Should Follow in 2020”. Esther Lee. Www.theknot.com

8. “The 6 Month Wedding Workout Plan That’ll Put You in Great Shape for the Big Day”. Caitlyn Flynn. Www.popsugar.com

9. “Sweating for the Wedding:Wedding Workout and Diet Tips That Work.” Sophie Darling. Www.weddingdresses.com

10. “The 5 Best Wedding Fitness Apps Brides Swear By.” Erica Comitalo. Www.womangettingmarried.com

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