Shaping up for Love
Love is all around me…or at least Valentines Day is. With love hearts and flowers and boxes of chocolates as far as the eye can see it got me thinking about one of the most common motivators for getting fit…wedding days.
Whether the the bride, groom, a member of the wedding party or a guest, we all want to look our best at a wedding. For the bride and groom, however, there can be serious pressure to shed pounds and shape up before the big day and that is completely understandable. All eyes will be on you and you don’t want to spend that time sucking in your belly. You want to be comfortable and confident.
I work with a lot of people coming up to their wedding days, mostly women it has to be said, but men do put in the work too. Personal Training Classes
Getting married can be stressful business, trying to keep both sides of the family happy, not offending anyone with your seating plan and all the other details that you want to get right. I think working out during this time is a great way to clear your mind, to switch off from colour charts and guest lists and to have time to focus on you. Working out releases endorphins, which help you feel good and you can learn to improve your breathing, which helps in times of stress – such as your parents unofficially inviting all the neighbours to your big day.
As well as that, you will be building a stronger and healthier body and that will make you feel better as you walk down the aisle.
For anyone looking to shape up ahead of their wedding, I always suggest they start six to twelve months ahead – depending on your fitness level and what you want to achieve. This means you can lose weight or tone up gradually and you won’t put your body under undue stress. It also gives you time to set realistic targets. And, when you reach your target you can concentrate on maintaining. Giving yourself adequate time to see changes in your body will boost your confidence and help keep you motivated.
Plus, if you’re the bride, it will allow you make some progress in your fitness goals before you begin shopping for your wedding dress and meals there won’t be dramatic changes when it comes to alterations. Then, when you have your dress, you can focus on specific areas.
When I meet with clients ahead of their wedding day, I talk with them about their objectives and their troublesome spots. I will discuss a food plan and an exercise regime that takes in the whole body – a full health perspective – and pinpointing exercises that will tackle the key areas of concern.
Whether it’s just one half of a couple, or a pair, trying to get fit ahead of a wedding, I would encourage both people to get on board. This can be done in a variety of ways, whether it’s following the same meal plan, or scheduling time to exercise together, even if it’s a walk once a week, the support and sense of teamwork will bring you closer together and could be a great opportunity to build stronger bonds.
In the weeks and days just before a wedding, there is a lot to be done. All the final pieces start to fall into place, and life can get hectic. There will be family dinners, catch up with friends who have returned for the occasion, there will be drinks and celebrations and the calories can mount up. If you have been working out regularly in the run up to your wedding, it should now feel like a habit. Just like brushing your teeth and you should think of working out that way. If you know you will be out for dinner, try to get your workout in in the morning or before you go out. If you’re tight on time, make it 20-30 minutes of intensive work rather than a moderate 40-60. At this stage you will have put in the hard graft, the changes will be there to see but you want to maintain your progress right till the end.
I recently heard of a bride who had barely eaten in the week before her wedding and was so hangry during the ceremony and drinks reception she couldn’t enjoy it. She was only focused on the bread rolls that she would be able to eat at dinner. Sure, she looked incredible, but she was miserable, and I can only imagine how she must have been in the run up to the whole event. In the effort to be skinny for her wedding she was missing out on the joy of the whole day. That’s why I don’t believe in going to extremes, I believe in gradual progress and happy and healthy brides and grooms.
Get in touch – info@shapeupfitness.ie
