Fitness Goals for Brides

The countdown begins as soon as you decide on the date of the wedding and start planning. The ceremony is 365 days away so you think to yourself, ‘I have plenty of time to lose this weight’. It’s true! You do have plenty of time. But, if you don’t begin planning right away, you will find that each day that passes, it will be harder and harder to reach your goal. Think about it, you want to lose 20 lbs. in 365 days.

Don’t tell yourself it’s easy and that you can do in the last eight weeks before the wedding. Your procrastination might have led you to even gain a few more pounds by that point with all of the stress of the planning you’ve been doing.

Therefore, my first point is PLANNING. Set a realistic goal such as losing one pound of body fat every 1-2 weeks. This is very realistic. You can achieve this by creating a caloric deficit each day. You can do this by decreasing the number of calories taken in and by increasing the number of calories burned.

If you eat 400 calories less and burn 300 calories more per day, you have just created a 700 calorie per day deficit. Fitness Goals For Brides Over a 7 day period, that is 3500 calories which is equal to one pound of body fat. A 700 calorie per day deficit is not hard to achieve. Just have some Splenda and skim milk in your latte and that’s probably good for 250 calories right there. 30 minutes at a moderate pace on the Elliptical Crosstrainer is good for another 300+ calories.

My second point that will ensure your success is CREATING A LOG of your nutrition and exercise. This will create accountability and keep you on track. Whether you are working out with a Personal Trainer, or are taking on the fat-loss game alone, the journal is important. Not only does the journal open up your eyes to the quantities and food choices that you are making, it also makes you accountable to yourself or the Personal trainer that is helping you reach your fitness goals.

You don’t have to carry the journal under your arm all day long. What I recommend to all of my clients is to leave it on your nightstand next to your bed and spend 10 minutes recapping everything you ate that day. Once you’re finished, take a look at the day and think to yourself how you’d like to do it differently the next day. Or, what could you change to improve your comsumption the next day. This is also a good time to plan where you’re going to be and what food will be available where you are.

That will help you make smart choices that day and not get caught up starving at the McDonald’s drive-thru. Also, doing this at night before falling asleep, will actually help you relax as it will distract your mind from all other things that went on during the day. Additionally, it will put your subconscious mind to work throughout the night on how to improve your food intake the next day. Remember, start early and stick to your plan because you know those last couple of weeks prior to the wedding will be full of stress and last minute headaches that will demand your attention.

If you’re almost at your fitness goal by that point, you’ll really want to finish losing that last pound or two instead of just giving into the stress eating and anxiety. For more details, please check out Fitness For Brides. There you will find a very detailed manual to walk you through the challenge you are about to embark on. It will give you nutritional guidance as well as workout plans and strategies. Good luck and Congratulations!

Stay Fit During Pregnancy

So you want to exercise and stay fit and toned during pregnancy? What a great idea! But before you get started it is important to speak with your healthcare provider and get the ok before you start on any program.

Before beginning a workout, warm up gently.

Perform easy stretches and be prepared to rest often for a few minutes at a time. Light cardio is the key to a healthy circulatory system which is so important during these crucial months.

Hydration is also an important thing which you must make sure you don’t let slide during pregnancy and particularly if you are exercising. You need a sufficient amount of fluid through the whole day; that means small sips over a longer time frame, rather than large intake at a given time. Eating should follow the same pattern - four to five small meals per day is preferable to three larger ones.

Pregnancy shifts your center of gravity forward, stressing the spine and back muscles. To ease that aching back, swimming is one of the best forms of exercises. It also gives a very low stress but active cardio workout. Also, some gyms offer special pregnancy swimming classes, made just for you, so go ahead… sign yourself up.

Yoga is also a favorite exercise for many pregnant women. It helps achieve peace of mind and provides gentle movements that give the needed stretching, while building good leg and arm strength. It also protects the back from too much pressure.

With a good program, you’ll reduce cramps, improve circulation and increase energy. You’ll lower your resting heart rate and keep fit.

When my best friend was pregnant, I gave her Yoga tapes for her pregnancy. Each night she would pop one in and her husband would sit down with her and together they would do yoga to relax. The calming movements didn’t stress her and it also gave the couple some time to just relax with each other, not to mention she got up feeling a whole lot better than she sat down. It really did help her to sleep better at night after spending a bit of time doing the relaxing Yoga movements.

Before beginning any exercise regimen it’s crucial that you talk with your physician regarding exercising. It’s great to get more than one opinion, but your OB/GYN (obstetrician/gynecologist) can help you devise a program that is great for you and your baby because each and every pregnancy, just like each and every woman, is different.

Happy exercising!