Every bride wants to look her absolute best on her wedding day. Every bride will do almost anything to be the picture perfect bride, from hair and makeup to nails and waxing! Today we are going to share 10 fitness from fitness expert, Marcia Inoue of Hawaii Fit Body Boot Camp. We want to share these tips so that you can feel and look amazing on your big day!!
1. How can brides best tone their shoulders and arms to look gorgeous and fit in their strapless wedding gowns?
The best toning exercise for those lean, are push-ups. Vary the placement of your hands on the ground to target the different parts of your arms. Try these variations of the basic push-up….hands out wide, hands by your shoulders, hands lower by your chest, hands together making a “heart” with your thumbs and pointer fingers. (Expert tip: keep your elbows in towards your body.) Start out doing as many as you can of each variation and work your way up to 15 of each.
2. How can brides best tone their back for those awesome “glance over my shoulder” photos?
The “breast-stroke” is a great back toning exercise you can do on your living room floor! Lay on the floor, stomach down. Stretch your arms out over your head. Arch your back up, lift your head and chest off the ground while doing the breast-stroke with your arms. Return to starting position and repeat. Do three sets of 20 reps.
3. What’s the best way for brides to lose those last 10 pounds, 3 months before their wedding?
Follow these five easy rules and you’ll have no problem losing those last ten pounds.
- Eat every 2-3 hours. This will keep your metabolism burning! Stock up your purse with some easy snacks. My favorites are “Think Thin” bars and “Lara” bars.
- No starches after 3pm. That means…no rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. for dinner. Eat your starches at breakfast and lunch. Load up on lean meats and veggies for dinner.
- Drink Up! Hydrate. Divide your body weight by two and that’s how many ounces you need to consume a day. (Ex: 135 lbs woman needs to drink 65 ounces per day.)
- Cut down on the sweets. Try not to consume any processed sugar. Get your “sweet fix” from natural sugars.
- Don’t eat within 3-hours of your bedtime. Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
4. There are a lot of BUSY brides who don’t have time to exercise daily. What alternatives can you recommend to keep “active” during a normal day?
Buy a pedometer (they are very inexpensive and can be found at Sports Authority) and wear it from the time you wake up until you go to sleep each day. Your goal is 10,000 steps a day. Tips on how to reach your goal each day? Take the steps instead of the elevator. Park further away and walk through the parking lot. Find some stairs on your lunch break and run up and down for 5-10 minutes. Take a 30-minute walk after dinner.
5. How can brides best prepare for their crazy-hustle-and-bustle-busy wedding day?
I always tell brides to get in a great workout the morning of their wedding. It will calm the pre-wedding jitters and wake you up. The best part? When you sweat it unclogs yours pores and your skin will look more radiant. Make sure to drink a lot of water to keep that healthy glow all day long.
6. What should brides eat (or not eat) the week before their wedding?
Do Eat: Veggies, lean meats or tofu and lots of water. Keep healthy snacks in your purse when you’re on the run.
Don’t Eat: Carbonated beverages (causes stomach bloating), sodium (causes water retention), fast food, fried food, starches and sugar.
7. Any workout or stretching tips for being comfortable wearing a heavy gown all day?
Posture, posture, posture. Keep those shoulders back and chest out. It may sound simple, but this will line your spine up correctly to alleviate strain from the gown. Make sure to wear your shoes around for the month before the wedding so you are able to walk in them and they don’t bother you. The more comfortable your feet, the better your posture will be. Strong core = good posture, so do those sit-ups and planks before the wedding!
8. What are some great restaurants you’d suggest brides eat the week of their wedding?
Shabu Shabu House (just don’t eat the rice and go easy on sauces), Shokudo (spinach salad & salmon dinner). Actually any restaurant is good if you order salads (easy on the dressing) or lean meat or fish.
9. Brides are so busy and excited, they barely touch the food they’ve so carefully chosen for their wedding. Any tips on what they should eat to keep their energy up?
Eat a well-balanced breakfast with protein (eggs, tofu or lean meats). Make sure to drink water throughout the day. Most fatigue is caused by dehydration. So, even if you can’t eat throughout the day, make sure to stay hydrated. Keep a Lara bar or Think Thin bar nearby and just take a couple bites if you can to keep your body fueled.
10. What’s the #1 workout tip or fitness advice you’d give a bride?
Make the time for your workouts. This is your special day and you want to look your best. Go for high intensity, shorter workouts since you’re limited on time. 30 minutes a day is fine as long as you’re working at a high intensity.
This is your big day, and we want you to feel amazing, healthy, and glowing! As a wedding planner, we are here to make your lives easier! Eating a healthy diet and getting good exercise will not only make you feel glowing, but will also help to relieve the stress that comes with planning a wedding! So relax and enjoy yourself. You deserve it!!
Happy Beginnings, Mike
