by Cassie Brewer
Your wedding day is the one day of your life when you can be certain that all eyes in the room are on you. That’s why it’s so important to not only look your best, but feel your best on your day. Staying fit (and fitting into the dress) is a priority for most brides, but finding the time to stick to a workout and diet while you’re elbow-deep in wedding planning can be a challenge.
If you want to feel fit and fab on your wedding day follow these tips:
1. Don’t Try Something New
The months before your wedding are not the time to try MMA fighting or train for a marathon if you’ve never done those things before. If you want to stick to a workout routine, choose something you already know that you will like.
2. Workout When It’s Best for You
If you know in your heart of hearts that you cannot wake up at 5 am to hit the gym, don’t even try. Choose a time to workout that matches up with your internal rhythms and your energy level. Once you pick a time, set it in stone and block it off in your calendar.
3. Enlist a Friend
Working out with a friend is always easier. You may be tempted to force your maid of honor to work out with you, but think strategically. Choose a workout buddy who you know will be reliable so that you don’t talk each other out of skipping a day.
4. Switch it Up
Doing the same workout over and over will lead to boredom, and it will also become ineffective after a period of time. Work different parts of your body on different days, and switch up your entire exercise routine every couple of weeks to keep it interesting and challenging.
5. Plan Both Your Workouts and Your Meals
Plan both your workout schedule and your meals for each week. Get a commitment from your buddy to stick to the workout plan. Then shop for all of the ingredients you will need to cook your meals for the week. As soon as you run out of healthy food in your fridge, you’ll slide right back into eating not-so-healthy food so make sure your fridge is stocked with only healthy, lean choices, but don’t deprive yourself of food.
6. Track Your Efforts and Your Results
Keep a journal of your workouts and your meals. This can add to your motivation to keep going on days when you just don’t feel like it. Each week, take your measurements and weigh yourself so that you know where you stand. It can also highly motivating to take photos of yourself on your first day of working out, and then again at the end of each month. Sometimes you have to see it to really believe you’re getting results.
7. Don’t Forget to Relax
Wedding planning is stressful and at times you can feel like you never slow down. Once a week, take a couple of hours just for yourself. Curl up with a good book, watch a favorite movie, give yourself a facial or even sneak away to the spa. Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body.
8. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
If you want to truly be kind to your body, drink lots of water. Water can keep you feeling energized throughout the day, can stave off hunger pangs, and it keeps you mind and body in tip-top shape. Buy a nice, BPA-free bottle and carry it with you wherever you go, especially to work out. If you aren’t much of a water drinker, add a few slices of lemon or cucumber to give it some flavor.
Whatever you do, don’t go overboard with your pre-wedding fitness routine and attempt to lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. You don’t have to be stick-skinny, nor do you have to harm your body to feel beautiful on your wedding day. Remember, your fiancé loves you just the way you are.
