Get in Shape For Your Wedding – 5 Easy Tips

With so many things to do and prepare before the big day trying to get in shape for your wedding can often get put on the back burner and neglected.

I am a full supporter of all bodies are beautiful in every shape and size – but sometimes brides ask me how they can get in shape for their wedding, often want to do so fairly quickly. Their timetable is pretty hectic, so some flexibility is required in what they can do and when they can do it, thus crazy diet and exercise regimes are a big no-no.

I reached out to my friend and online personal trainer, Haley of Endorphitness, and asked her for her wedding fitness tips. Here she will tell you 5 things that you can do starting today to get in shape for your wedding

Stop snacking

Snacking is probably the single biggest reason that folks end up breaking their diet plans, and pack on the pounds without even realising. Controlling the temptation to snack will be key to you being able to get in shape for your wedding.

Snacking can be caused by a number of reasons, but is often linked to people not eating enough or at the right time, boredom, or emotional stresses (i.e. comfort eating).

The best way to combat and control snacking is to eat good hearty and healthy meals at the appropriate times. Plan your day so that you take time to eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner, and this will help you to avoid the need to snack in between. Eating smaller meals more regularly will avoid the need to snack as there’ll be less time between meals.

Try to eat more low GI (Glycemic Index) foods that have sustained energy release – things like oatmeal, bran flakes, and pasta, release energy slowly throughout the day meaning you won’t feel so hungry. Avoid high sugar foods as these will only exacerbate the snacking problem, and make it more difficult for you to get in shape for your wedding.

Avoid Stress

Easier said than done when you’re trying to plan a wedding right? I know things can get pretty crazy…organizing the ceremony, invites, caterers, the party, and don’t even get me started on the dress! All this equals one thing…mucho stress!

If you want to get in shape for your wedding you’ll have to manage your stress levels. Why? Well, it has been proven that high stress levels can contribute to weight gain and make it more difficult to lose weight. When stressed our bodies produce a hormone called Cortisol which increases blood sugar levels and slows metabolism. We also tend to snack more when we’re stressed and indulge ourselves more as a way of comfort eating. All this combined makes it more difficult to get in shape for your wedding.

Controlling and reducing stress is never easy, but there are some things you can do.

Ask for help when you need it – no one expects you to be a superwoman…get others to do the little jobs that you don’t need to.

Take time for yourself, have a nice hot bath, use essential aromatherapy oils and chill out. Go for a massage or spa treatment with the girls…or get your future hubby to give you a massage…this is a great way to be intimate and spend time together while helping to reduce the stress you’re both going through.

Sleep & Rest

Linked to stress levels, sleeping well is important to help you to get in shape for your wedding. A good night’s rest will lower your stress levels, balance your blood sugar levels, and help you maintain a gorgeous glowing complexion.

Lack of sleep can contribute to overeating, as fatigue lowers your blood sugar level, and causes you to look for and eat more sugary high-fat foods.

Diet wisely

The best way to get in shape for your wedding is to diet wisely. Most diets fail because they rely on deprivation. You know, it’s all about taking something out, be it carbs, fat, red meat, solid foods, taste…you name it, it’s been tried, and ultimately failed.

A great diet method that is really popular at the moment is called Calorie Shifting. This relies on you “shifting” or rotating food groups on a regular basis so your metabolism stays consistent and keeps burning fat. If you deprive yourself, your metabolism slows down ‘cos it thinks your body is beginning to starve, so it takes more care of your fat reserves, and not less, meaning you’d find it more and more difficult to lose weight and get in shape for your wedding.

Make fat burning foods a part of your every day diet. The low GI foods like oatmeal, and green fibrous vegetables are excellent “fat-burning” foods and will help you to get in shape for your wedding.

Exercise

Hey, I know it’s annoying but it can really help you get in shape for your wedding. I think most people’s biggest opposition to exercise is they find it boring…I agree, running on a treadmill at the gym for 30 minutes makes me want to poke my fingers into my eyes 🙂

So the answer is to do something that isn’t boring. Sports are a great way to get intensive exercise without even realising and having fun along the way. Why not try swimming? Swimming is hugely underrated as an exercise and a great way to get in shape for your wedding. It’ll help you get the toned and sexy body to die for, and it’s often a great place to make new friends too.

Even simple changes to your daily routine can really help you to get in shape for your wedding. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking instead of taking the bus or car can really add up. If you don’t believe me, get yourself one of those pedometers and record how many extra steps you do by changing your routines, and then work out how many calories you’ve lost in the process.

Want to learn more about how to get in shape for your wedding? Contact Haley at www.endorphitness.com/ 

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