Lose weight. Get in shape. These are two of the most common New Year’s resolutions pledged each year (just how many gym and diet ads have you seen over the past week?) But for many wintertime brides, fitness preparations are part of the whole wedding planning process and not just subject to a January 1st start date.
Now that the holidays party temptations are (almost) over, it’s much easier to settle into a routine of healthy home-cooked meals. With so many people jumping on the exercise bandwagon in January, it’s also easier to find a workout buddy for added motivation and enjoyment. But many wintertime brides have the extra ‘stress’ of a sleeveless wedding gown and/or warm weather (bikini) honeymoon during the months that many of us stay bundled and wrapped from the neck down.
So we decided to research the best fitness tips for the winter bride and found our favorite list courtesy of Hawaiian blogger Tanna Dang. Tanna posed 10 questions to fitness expert Marcia Inoue of Hawaii Fit Body Bootcamp. See below for her list of great questions (minus one related to Hawaiian restaurant suggestions!) Partial responses are provided below, but checkout Tanna’s blog for full details from the pro.
- How can brides best tone their shoulders and arms to look gorgeous and fit in their strapless wedding gowns? The best toning exercise for those lean, sexy arms are push-ups. Vary the placement of your hands on the ground to target the different parts of your arms. Try these variations of the basic push-up….
- How can brides best tone their back for those awesome “glance over my shoulder” photos? The “breast-stroke” is a great back toning exercise you can do on your living room floor…
- What’s the best way for brides to lose those last 10 pounds, 3 months before their wedding? Follow these five easy rules and you’ll have no problem losing those last ten pounds…
- There are a lot of BUSY brides who don’t have time to exercise daily. What alternatives can you recommend to keep “active” during a normal day? Buy a pedometer (they are very inexpensive and can be found at Sports Authority) and wear it from the time you wake up until you go to sleep each day. Your goal is 10,000 steps a day…
- How can brides best prepare for their crazy-hustle-and-bustle-busy wedding day? I always tell brides to get in a great workout the morning of their wedding. It will calm the pre-wedding jitters and wake you up. The best part? When you sweat it unclogs yours pores and your skin will look more radiant. Make sure to drink a lot of water to keep that healthy glow all day long…
- What should brides eat (or not eat) the week before their wedding? Do Eat: Veggies, lean meats or tofu and lots of water. Keep healthy snacks in your purse when you’re on the run. Don’t Eat: Carbonated beverages (causes stomach bloating), sodium (causes water retention), fast food, fried food, starches and sugar.
- Any workout or stretching tips for being comfortable wearing a heavy gown all day? Posture, posture, posture…Strong core = good posture, so do those sit-ups and planks before the wedding!
- Brides are so busy and excited, they barely touch the food they’ve so carefully chosen for their wedding. Any tips on what they should eat to keep their energy up? Eat a well-balanced breakfast with protein (eggs, tofu or lean meats). Make sure to drink water throughout the day.
- What’s the #1 workout tip or fitness advice you’d give a bride? Make the time for your workouts. This is your special day and you want to look your best. Go for high intensity, shorter workouts since you’re limited on time. 30 minutes a day is fine as long as you’re working at a high intensity.
If you are a winter bride, checkout the original selection of wedding suite accessories at LookLoveSend.com if you still need menus, place cards or directions for your special day. With hundreds of designs available, you are sure to find stationery to match your wedding colors and theme. And good luck to all reaching your 2012 fitness goals!
