Real Bride Advice: Fitness

One of the biggest things to tackle whether someone is getting married or not, is fitness.   We reached out to one of our recent brides at Key Hall at Proctors, Julie for her take on “bridal bootcamps”, this sums it up pretty well!  (And Julie and Kevin’s amazing wedding is up next on Aisle Files, so check back to see how awesome it was, but for now check out how great she looks!)

DISCLAIMER #1: I am not a fitness expert or a nutritionist.  Anyone can give advice, and that’s all I’m doing here (based on my own experience with nutrition and exercise and getting positive results).

 DISCLAIMER #2: Think about all of this as a process.  A process that involves small (often baby) steps.  If you try to do everything at once, you will only wind up discouraged and wanting to quit.  Don’t be a gerbil on a wheel.  Take it one step at a time and work on building your healthy lifestyle over time.

1.  Think about getting healthy, not skinny.  Improving your nutrition and getting into better shape are excellent goals.  Getting engaged is an excellent catalyst for an entire lifestyle change!

2.  It’s all about adjusting what you eat AND incorporating [more] exercise.  Sadly, you don’t get to choose one or the other.  That’s part of what makes getting the body you want so hard!

3. Exercise – I’ve found there are a few bottom lines:

(a.) FIND SOMETHING YOU ENJOY DOING (THAT GETS YOUR HEART  PUMPING)!!!

The gym is not for everyone.  Consider swimming (one of the highest  calorie-burning cardio exercises out there), skiing (cross country or  downhill), bicycling, hiking, running/walking the dog, rollerblading/roller  skating, etc.  Join an indoor basketball or soccer league, if that’s your  thing.  You wouldn’t believe the calories you burn shoveling snow or  mowing the lawn or gardening.  Seriously!  The idea is to get moving –  but trust me, if you don’t like doing it, you won’t do it.

(b.) MIX IT UP, OR YOU WILL DIE OF BOREDOM.  And then you’ll quit.

(c.) WORK ON GETTING STRONGER.

Ladies, muscles are sexy.  And strength training actually helps to burn more calories.  There is LOTS of research on this.  Look it up if you don’t  believe me.

(c., part II) GET A PERSONAL TRAINER.

“But I can’t afford a personal trainer,” you may reply.  Excellent, true advice  I received from my very first personal trainer when I said the same  thing: “So don’t go out drinking or to dinner ONE night a week.  Then you’ll be able to afford a session a week, AND you won’t be eating and  drinking things you probably shouldn’t anyway.”  Bottom line: lifting weights sucks, and most people don’t know how to go about it safely and effectively.  The right personal trainer makes a  WORLD of difference  because he/she is standing over you telling you what to do and  encouraging you…so you don’t have a choice.  Plus, they know what is safe and will coach you on proper form, sets, reps, exercises, etc.  Once  again, trust me: IT’S WORTH IT!  (I personally recommend the trainers at Vent Fitness in Guilderland, Niskayuna, Latham, and Clifton Park – if you are in or close to one of those areas.  Check out their website: http://www.ventfitness.com.)

(c., part III) IF YOU ARE A GYM PERSON, CHECK OUT THE GROUP FITNESS CLASSES YOUR GYM HAS TO OFFER. 

(And don’t be afraid of feeling inadequate – as with everything else in life,  there will always be someone better and also worse than you.  So no worries.)

4.  DIET:  Now, I am by no means an expert here.  I am a food-a-holic and have been since I could chew and digest.  (If I were so inclined, I could eat my husband under the table.)  I will offer a few tips that have worked for me – try at your own risk:

(a.) Unless you need to lose A LOT of weight, DO NOT GO ON A TRADITIONAL OR FAD DIET.  (And if you do need to lose a lot, talk to your doctor or try Weight Watchers.  In my own opinion, everything else is crap.)  Also, check out this website and subscribe if you’ve got some spare change lying around: http://www.cspinet.org/nah/.

(b.) Adjust WHAT you eat instead of HOW MUCH.  True, portion control is helpful.  But I suck at it.  So instead of eating less, I eat the same amount of food (more or less) as I always have.  I can’t stand being hungry.  However, I replaced what I was eating instead of how much.  Two-thirds of my plate is always fruit and/or vegetables depending on the meal (NOTE: not covered in fattening sauces or dresses or oils with gratuitous amounts of sugar or sodium).

(c.)  DON’T CUT OUT ANYTHING YOU TRULY LOVE ENTIRELY.  Here’s where portion control is helpful.  If I had to give up ice cream or pie or burgers, I don’t think life would be quite worth living.  Have a small piece of something or a few bites (my favorite and also evil trick is to tell my husband that I don’t want any and then ask him for a couple of bites of his cake or one of his chicken wings or whatever after they arrive – works every time!).

(d.) CUT BACK ON YOUR DRINKING.  This was the hardest one for me.  I love beer.  But alcohol = MEGA calories.  (And, if you’re like me, it also gives you the munchies…and it takes away your inhibitions…so will power after two or three drinks = destroyed!)  Also, hangovers suck.

5.  ABOVE ALL, BE CONSISTENT!!!  This is the hardest one.  But it’s the one that will get you the best and healthiest results.  Be consistent with your exercise.  Be consistent with your nutrition.  It’s REALLY, REALLY HARD, but it works.  And I do speak from personal experience that it is worth it!

Good luck and have fun!