Consider this your checklist for getting in shape ASAP. Here, expert (and time saving) tips.
Focus on Holistic Nutrition
► Add a tablespoon of chia seeds (found at health-food stores) to water to keep you feeling fuller longer. You’re less likely to overeat and sabotage your goals.
► Drink high-alkaline water (like Mountain Valley or Evian) to brighten your complexion, fight inflammation and feel fuller longer.
► Drink one green juice a day to reduce inflammation, which can inhibit weight loss. Becoming widely available at supermarkets, green juice typically includes blends of cucumber, spinach, celery and kale.
► Make a smoothie with oxidant-rich super-foods, like berries and pomegranate. This easy, on-the-go meal will keep your blood sugar from dropping too low, which can lead to over-indulging later in the day.
—Tricia Williams, culinary holistic nutritionist at foodmattersnyc.com.
Never Miss a Workout Again
► Treat your workout like a non-negotiable appointment in the wedding planning process. You wouldn’t skip a meeting with your event coordinator to discuss catering, so why compromise how you will look and feel on the big day?
► Try out a bootcamp class, which features an endless assortment of exercises that stress multiple muscle groups. The combo of cardio and muscle-defining resistance makes it impossible for the body to adapt, meaning faster, more effective results.
► With yoga, you’ll improve your posture, flexibility and strength, as well as gain stress-reduction benefits, which is something every busy bride needs.
—Caroline Limpert and Neda Talebian Funk, co-founders, FITiST.com, a boutique fitness-booking service, share their exercise tips:
► Grazing throughout the day: (small 200-300 calorie meals, 5 or 6 times a day) and drinking at least 1 glass of water every hour, will rev up your metabolism and keep you satiated so you don’t reach for the pizza at 10 p.m.
► Break it up: Stressed about finding an hour for cardio? Studies have shown that breaking your 45-minute cardio session into 2 or 3 segments per day is just as effective as doing it all at once.
► Guessing how many calories you’re burning is so old school! There are amazing tools, like the Nike Fuel Band, that track your steps, calories and heart rate. Hold yourself accountable! And take the stairs! You don’t have to get to the gym to know you’re taking care of yourself.
— Anna Kaiser, celebrity trainer, creator of AKT, aktinmotion.com
Get More Out of Your Workout
► Try interval training, which consists of alternating low- and high-intensity exercises for the fastest calorie torching. After warming up, try running ¼ mile on a treadmill at 6 mph, followed by walking ¼ mile at 4.5. Repeat this sequence until you’ve completed 2 miles.
► Walk: Set your alarm earlier and get your day off to a good start by walking to work(or part way). You don’t have to break a sweat: just that bit of extra energy expended burns off more calories.
► Hiring a trainer (even for the short-term) can have a huge impact on your efficiency. A trainer will push you to work harder, plus you’re much less likely to miss an appointment as opposed to a solo workout.
—Bonne Marano-Marcus, fitness expert and author, The Complete Bride's Workout Guide, New Page Books
Make Your Body Work For You
The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn, even when you’re not moving — a good reason to up your strength training.
► Drink half your body weight in water. Hunger is often mistaken for thirst. Drink up and you may realize you’re not that famished after all.
► Enlist your bridesmaids or hubby-to-be as workout buddies to help stay on track.
► Less can be more: You can actually get faster, better results with high intensity circuits than by doing long, mundane cardio sessions. (See Russell’s four-week bridal workout plan).
— Amanda Russell, MBA, CPT, founder of artFIT.
Bonus Tip: Never leave the house without a snack in your handbag. Apples, walnuts, almonds and low-sugar protein are all good choices.
Photo Credits: Punchstock; Christopher Robins
