We have a wicked case of the wedding fever at Le Physique. A few of our team have recently married (or are about to walk down the aisle), plus so many of our new bride clients are stoked to attend their final fittings. Here, we share with you, some of our health and fitness tips for the big day.
10. Mix up your routine
Boredom can be deadly for your fitness goals, make sure you are getting variety in your workouts and stay focused on the end result. Even though your dress likely won’t show off your legs, work them out anyways! Try boot camp, Pilates or Zumba. Taking a class can help you get excited about your workouts and make sure you are not hitting a slump and losing motivation. Often, the energy of others in a partner or group setting can work wonders for boosting your motivation to stay on track.
9. Prioritize yourself
This can often be one of the most stressful times of your life. Keep yourself organized by making lists, using your calendar or just writing everything down (preferably in one place). Stress plays a large role in weight gain. Make sure you are making time (not just trying to “find time”) in your busy schedule for your workouts, to eat well and to nurture yourself. Develop a plan for organization, and you will thank yourself the week of the wedding when you’re looking great and feeling great because you’ve been organized since day one.
8. De-stresses yourself…often!
(and using techniques that don’t involve food or alcohol)
We’ve all done it – had a long day and come home to enjoy a very lovely glass of wine (sometimes with or without dinner -more on alcohol and your body) While using comfort foods or alcohol isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if your goal is to relax and loosen up AND stay svelte, our most successful brides found ways of de-stressing through activities such as yoga, weight training, a run, meditation, a luxurious bubble bath or connecting with a friend – the possibilities are endless!
7. Keep a journal
I don’t think any of us set out to become Bridezilla, but sometimes venting to friends or family too often might sometimes pigeonhole us into that category. Wedding planning without turbulence (“but we HAVE to invite my long lost aunt’s side of the family” or “oh, by the way, your dream photographer is no longer available…”) is a rarity. Journals can help you see patterns and is a valuable tool for self-evaluation and self-improvement. Then, when you do call your friend for some advice, or to the vendor to inquire about your refund, you’ll do it with more grace and grounding than before, and probably get a better outcome. (Note – not all journals need to be hand written. If you prefer to keep a personal blog or even scribble on scraps of paper, anything goes!)
6. Get support / help
Help comes in a multitude of forms and from a wide range of people so learn to count on those that you can trust. A wedding planner can be ridiculously simple, yet useful resource and actually help you save time (and isn’t time money, sometimes) and energy! A“day of” coordinator is a must if you yourself don’t want to be running around ensuring everything and everyone is in the correct place. Sometimes, these can be paid professionals, or someone close to you that isn’t in the wedding party that is willing to help out. Your family and friends want to be part of something special so tap into that! For some people, support means having an objective “arm’s length” person like a coach or mentor that you can totally vent to and not worry about offending. You don’t want to explode on your future husband because you’re secretly very uncomfortable that his best “man” is his ex-girlfriend…someone impartial you trust may be able to help you work through your feelings and have a clearer conversation with him on what you need.
5. Plan your meals
Plan out your meals so that you are not grabbing greasy junk food on the go. Make sure you’re getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals – that means vegetables and fruits should be a staple in your diet. A good trick is to eat them in a variety of colors, such as get your yellow in bananas, red in tomatoes, and green in peppers or peas. Ensure that every meal also has a source of protein such as meat or if you’re vegetarian, it contains items like tofu, legumes, beans and other combinable amino acids for complete proteins. Some healthy sources of fat that your body will thrive on include avocados, some types of fish, olive and coconut oil.
4. Balance your meals for energy
You should also be getting the right amount of protein and energy in the form of complex carbohydrates to make it through your days and those workouts! Portion sizes are key. Get familiar with exactly what a “serving” looks like before you scoop 3 cups worth of mashed potatoes on your plate (“it’s a vegetable and more is better, right?”) when in reality you’re taking in too many calories and not enough variety. Try 4 or 5 small meals instead of 3 big meals to help keep your energy levels higher throughout the day instead of hitting those energy blood sugar slumps in the afternoon. (Visit knockknockstuff.com to see some of their other fun and useful notepads).
3. Drink water
Water, water, water! Instead of reaching for a diet coke or coffee, grab a glass or two of water and you may be surprised how much that alone can help you lose weight and feel better. Craving a snack? Drink water. Have a headache? Try a glass of water before you try Tylenol. The benefits of getting the right amount of water each day are virtually endless.
2. zzz… SLEEP… zzz
Did you know that a lack of sleep can actually make you *gain* weight? You might be thinking, “but I’m awake and therefore burning more calories” but the truth is your body responds to the lack of sleep as a negative stressor, causing it to respond in a way that stores fat. You’re a busy lady, we know that! But don’t let your sleep, mental state and waistline suffer. It’s crucial to be getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night in order to keep your hormone levels in balance and help promote weight loss. Read more on sleep here.
1. Get personal!
A generic fitness routine that works wonders for your sister may not work for you. Genetics aside, lifestyle choices, stressors and nutrition is different for every single person, not to mention what you think is “fun” could be a horror story for someone else (Pilates? *yawn* or Grouse grind? *heck no!*). While one bride might come to us with the goal to lose 10 pounds and slim down a dress size, another’s goals might be to have a ton of energy and more muscle tone – different goals, different exercise prescription, different outcome.
For YOUR wedding, look and feel great – and have your wedding cake too!
