June 8, 2006

Look Your Best in Your Wedding Dress

10 Simple Weight Loss and
Exercise Tips for Brides-to-Be

Attention brides! While most of your time is spent with last minute arrangements of the who, what, where, and when’s of your imminent betrothal, why not invest some time to ensure that you will look your best on your wedding day.
Fitness expert and author James Villepigue offers these simple, easy-to-follow weight-loss and exercise tips for brides-to-be:
1. MAKE A VOW TO LOOK GREAT - It’s your big day. You want to look your best. Every day leading up to the big day will be stressful in one way or another. Make your commitment to be healthy and fit on your wedding day. Adopt a plan of action that is easy-to-follow, that is sensible, and that allows for your busy schedule.
2. SAY “I DO” TO A REASONABLE WEIGHT LOSS GOAL - Most weight loss programs fail because we set our goals unrealistically. Safely, you should expect a weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week. So a goal of 16 pounds of weight lost in 8 weeks is appropriate. Anything more and you are setting yourself up for frustration and failure.
3. AVOID GET THIN QUICK PRODUCTS - If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Fad diets and “fat burning” diet pills can be dangerous to your health. Electronic ab stimulators and other home exercise inventions that promise results without effort are just marketing gimmicks. Save your money for your honeymoon.
4. PRACTICE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE - Choose to be active every day. As little as 15 minutes of walking will burn excess calories. What’s more, that time is for you. Use it to relax, to meditate, to escape the stresses of these final days.
5. HIT THE WEIGHTS NOT THE WALL - Include at least 2-3 days per week of light weight training with dumbbells. Choose 8-10 exercises and do at least 8-12 repetitions per exercise. One set is enough, especially if time is precious. Best exercises include: biceps curls, triceps extensions, lateral raises, rows, lunges, squats, crunches and hyperextensions.
6. CAN THE SODA AND SAVE THE CALORIES - Sugar-rich soda adds useless calories to your diet. Just drinking water rather than soda can reduce your calories as much as 300-500 calories per day. That’s a pound of fat weight per week you can lose effortlessly.
7. EAT OFTEN TO STAY ENERGIZED - Plan to eat at least five times a day to stay energized (3 meals and 2 snacks). Fill your home with healthy foods, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Make sure you don’t skip breakfast. It is one of the most important meals of the day. Follow the food pyramid for balance and variety. Avoid excess calories from junk foods like chips, donuts, and sweets.
8. STRETCH TO DE-STRESS - Gentle stretching of your muscles is a great way to combat wedding stress. Spend 10 minutes in the morning attending to easy stretching of the major muscles. Take a yoga class once or twice a week to learn the basics. Invite your maid-of-honor along, too! An exercise partner will help you stay on track.
9. GET MOM (AND DAD) INVOLVED - Share your commitment to health with your mom and dad. It is a time of change and stress for them as well. They, too, can benefit from being more active and eating sensibly. Why not take them with you on your walks. Spend that time with them wisely. It is a precious gift.
10. DO IT FOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR MARRIAGE - Bring your commitment into your marriage by encouraging your husband-to-be to share in your efforts to maintain a healthy weight and to be active. The health benefits are enormous: increased longevity, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced risk of diabetes, reduced risk of cancer, just to name a few. You can look ahead to a vital, active, and healthy partnership in the years to come.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - James Villepigue is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and nationally recognized authority on health and exercise. He resides in the New York City area.