The wedding is 30 days away and you’re frazzled. Don’t panic! You just need a good bride workout. Whether your dress is too snug or you’re looking for mega stress relief, we’ve got you covered with these 5 moves:
1. Round Up the Bridesmaids
A fitness program done with friends is more effective than taking on the challenge solo. Why? Support, accountability, exchange of ideas, exchange of woes… need I go on? Studies show that people who join a fitness group or weight loss community achieve faster, lasting success (of course, it doesn’t take research to tell us that misery loves company!). Besides, your bridesmaids want to look hot in their gowns too! Get the girls together and tackle the dress boot camp below.
2. Get Energy and Glow
Let’s face it: you’ve got a big day ahead. Now is not the time to lose beauty—or sanity—sleep. “Most brides-to-be find themselves having some late nights, but try your best not to skimp on sleep,” Denise Schipani cautions. “You don’t want to get sick now,” she says. “Plus, well-rested gals look their best.”
Can’t sleep? Make meditation or hypnotherapy part of your wind-down ritual. And on the big day, don’t be afraid to pull a little runaway bride: sneak away for a nap between party and reception. It only takes a few minutes of well-planned shut-eye to feel revitalized!
3. Tailor Your Workout to Your Dress
Is your gown sleeveless? Backless? Gorgeously snug? Use these moves to whip your shoulders, arms and core into bodice-befitting shape. For best results, get pumped with the Fit Bottomed Girls’ Fit for a Bride Workout Playlist and work multiple muscles at once with compound movements:
- For Sleeveless and Strapless Gowns — work arms, shoulders, chest and core with a dumbbell pullover to crunch, and zero in on your lats, biceps and triceps with this overhead press.
- For Backless Gowns and Low-cut Necklines — work your chest, back and shoulders with a deadlift flys and rows, and score some leg toning with these too. Add a lifting series to boost your bust.
- For Fitted Waists — get an all-over workout (shoulders, core, arms, legs and glutes) with the dumbbell squat to overhead press and take this no frills, total core approach to nipping in your waist and defining your stomach.
- Tropical Honeymoon? Firm your glutes and erase cellulite to look flawless in your swimsuit.
4. Rev Your Metabolism
It’s crunch time, I know, but don’t resort to extreme diets. You may shed some pounds, but Bridal Guide warns that “starving yourself in that crucial time before the wedding can leave you tired and sallow-skinned, with dull hair and dark circles under your eyes.” Instead of slimming down at the expense of your health, choose the faster, more sensible route to glamour and glow: set a healthy, well-rounded nutrition plan with plenty of moves that maximize your metabolism.
5. Easy Stress Relief
- Curb caffeine. Turns out those double shots can make you double tired and stressed out! That’s because caffeine stimulates by blocking adenosine receptors, thus keeping the brain and body in constant fight-or-flight mode. Have one caffeinated drink and then switch to healthy energy sources to power through your last-minute planning.
- Pencil in a day off. “Take a time out from all things wedding,” psychologist Jennifer J. Baumgartner tells brides-to-be. “Give yourself one day to remove any talk of dresses, cakes, reception, and flowers out of your vocabulary.” She says it will freshen your mind, refocus your perspective, and prepare you to enjoy all the wonderful times to come after your wedding!
- Revive your morning routine. Try IdealShape’s tips for waking up refreshed on the big day.
You totally need a guy one too. If I was going on a tropical vacation, I want the sun blinding vacationers, not a flabby belly atop an ill-fitting swimsuit.