TOP 10 TIPS FOR GETTING IN SHAPE FOR YOUR BIG DAY!

Exercise

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Jenny Cromack

Want to look stunning on your wedding day? Follow these tips to get in shape!

1.Interval Training 

Forget pounding the treadmill for hours on end, research shows that performing interval training within your workouts is a more effective way of burning fat and boosts your metabolism for longer following a workout. Try this intense interval session during your next workout. Sprint for 60 seconds as fast as you can, walk or jog for 60 seconds. Repeat this sequence 10 times. If you don’t like running then do your intervals on a bike or rowing machine. Include interval training in your workout 2-3 times per week. 

2.Weight Training

Many women skip doing weights in the gym, for fear of bulking up. However, women don’t have enough testosterone to bulk up from moderate weight lifting. Increasing your lean muscle mass will speed up your metabolism and burn more body fat. Perform exercises which use big muscle groups like press ups, squats, rows and lunge.

3.Banish the Bingo Wings

Every bride wants to have nice shapely arms for her big day. Try performing the following workout 3 times per week. 12-15 x Press Ups (on the knees is ok!), 12-15 x Seated Rows, 12-15 x Tricep Dips,  12-15 x Military Press. Repeat this circuit x 3.

4.Perfect Pins

Although your legs might be hidden under your wedding dress, you want nice pins for your honeymoon bikini!! Include exercises such as squats and lunges in your workouts to hit the legs. As the legs are big muscle groups they will also use more energy so if you want to lose weight they are an important part of your workout.

5.Ditch the Booze

A glass of wine contains around 180 calories, so if you have 1-2 glasses of wine per night it’s easy to see why it’s hard to lose weight!! Additionally, the calories in alcohol provide no nutritional value, hence the reason they are often known as ‘empty calories’. Why waste calories?!

6.Don’t Crash Diet

Although you may need to reduce your calorie intake to see a change in your weight, drastically cutting calories will cause your body to go into starvation mode which will actually cause your body to hold onto fat making it harder for you to lose weight. If you are drastically restricting your food intake, you will be more tempted to binge on the foods you like so stick to a healthy eating plan instead based around slow release, wholegrain carbohydrates, lean proteins and lots of veggies.

7.Eat Little & Often

Eating little and often keeps the metabolism revved up, meaning you will burn energy at a higher rate, plus you’ll also be less likely to snack on unhealthy food as you will feel full. Aim to have 5-6 healthy, small meals per day or 3 healthy meals, with 2 small snacks in between.

8.Don’t Get Stressed!

Easier said than done in the lead up to your big day, but being constantly stressed causes an increase in a hormone called Cortisol. Cortisol stimulates the appetite and induces cravings for sugar and fat, if this is not bad enough cortisol also signals the body to store fat around the abdominal area.

9.Lacking Motivation?

Finding it hard to motivate yourself to workout? Get your bridesmaids or ushers together and make a pact to workout on a regular basis, you can encourage each other when one of you is having an ‘off-day’…give each other a forfeit for any missed sessions! Alternatively, find an activity you really enjoy doing….you’re more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it!

10.Prioritise Your Workouts

We know you have a million and one things going on in the lead up to your big day, but if you want to look good then you must prioritise healthy eating and exercise and make both become part of your daily routine. Schedule your workouts into your diary like you would an important meeting and don’t let anything interrupt you from doing it!