If you are Planning your Wedding, do not forget about yourself!

When planning your special day, plan for you, your exercise plan to be in the best shape you can be!

Planning a Wedding or any special occasion is stressful and very expensive!

Too often I come across the couple who are stressing out planning their big day. They have thought of everything. The venue, the reception, the dress. The suits, the bridesmaids and bridesmaids dresses. The make up, hair, nails...spending huge amounts.

Then it dawns on them, That in planning for everything and everyone else, they have forgotten about themselves. They are going to be the centre of attention. They want to be in the best shape of their life!! Then the panic sets in. Why have we not thought to plan this element?

The press reported that Pippa Middleton spent 4 - 6 months on a 'strict bridal body boot camp'. Delivered at the Grace Belgravia Health Club. This was a 7 day a week 360-degree programme. The programme included a Personal Trainer, skincare and leg toning treatments. Yoga, pilates, spin and dance classes! All to be ready ahead of her wedding to financier James Mathews! Well she can I suppose, but so can you! Perhaps not to that lavish level, but to be enough to get the results that you want!

So how do I get myself in the best shape?

This is one time you should invest in you!

I will write this for a ladies point of view, but it applies just the same to the men! So if you are the groom? Please read on...

If you are not a regular exerciser and are completely new to this... the whole thing can seem like setting off to climb Mount Everest. Don't worry! Start to plan as soon as the date is set! Everything is easier with small steps...

If you set the date for July 2020, that gives you 4 months to achieve your target or goal. The sooner you start the better. Having 4 months to make the changes you will need to make (Yes, Changes!). The effort (Yes effort!) that you will need to make will make it easier to achieve your goals.

If you have limited time, be focussed and have a plan. You can achieve almost anything but you need a plan! You will have read some of the Hollywood Actresses shaping up for movies in a short amount of time? It is just the same!

Set your Goals

" I want to look great, I want to lose 20 pounds" are good starting points. But we need to be specific, the goals must be measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound. Do you remember my article on SMART (ER) Goals? It explains it all there...(Link at bottom of page).

The goals, I suggest may not be to lose 20 pounds. But are really to reduce fat on my arms, bum, waste and legs.... To feel brilliant in my dress? To be happy and confident in the photographs?

How do I do that, How do I plan?

Losing the FAT and maintaining your muscle will reduce inches

You now have a plan, you have your goals. First start with your food. You can plan to reduce weight (but lets aim for fat) by a Calorie deficit. This entails calculating what your basic Kcal requirement is to stay the same. This is a TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

Reducing that Calorie calculation by 500 Kcals per day will reduce your weight by 1 pound per week. Any more than 500 Calorie reduction is hard work. It will be restrictive... I don't want people to quit!

Remember that NOT ALL CALORIES ARE EQUAL! 500Kcal of Ice Cream and 500Kcal of chicken are very different, agree? But they are still 500 Kcal each.... So Calorie deficit is one part of your nutrition. But learn to get your Macros right....Read the article I wrote on MACROS, it will explain more about making sure you eat a balanced diet. It is so easy to do following macros! (link at bottom of page).

I know that you can lose a lot more weight than one pound per week! But I want you to be healthy doing it! Now remember, although a calorie deficit will lose you weight, it will also lose MUSCLE. We want to avoid that at all costs! Muscles burn calories. They are smaller in volume for weight than fat. So, if you want to reduce fat and reduce inches. You must eat well, AND have weights/resistance training in your plan. I wrote another article on this subject, if you missed it? The link is at the bottom of the page...

What Exercises?

It depends on the person... I could (but don't have space!) write a full basic generic plan here... (I prefer bespoke, tailored programmes however)... But if you are new to exercise you will need a gentler programme than a regular exerciser. Do you know where you are on the exercise scale?

If you are new to exercise, start with at least 30 minutes of steady cardio every day. Something like taking a walk at a pace that just allows you to talk, but not easily... This is on top of your normal everyday activities.

Do body weight exercise like Squats, Lunges and Step ups. Press Ups, Tricep Dips, Bicep curls*and Shoulder press* (*using resistance bands). Then progress to weighted movements. Use some machines but definitely use Barbell and Dumbbell Exercises. Along with a daily core exercise routine.

Hire a Personal Trainer

Hiring a personal Trainer to get your desired outcomes is no different to Hiring a Baker to bake your Wedding Cake

Now I would say that wouldn't I? Of course I am a professional. I am trained, certified and have the knowledge. You can trust me to work with you on your program. Help you with Nutrition and give you that vital support when you "lose willpower" or "focus".

"I do not have any money for a Personal Trainer"! Let me ask you this. If you have the knowledge and skills to do the things the professionals that you are hiring provide. Why would you need them? Why hire them and spend that money?

I can sew well enough but would I make a Wedding Dress? No, I would buy or hire the perfect wedding dress. I can cook but would I bake my Wedding cake and cater for the reception? No, I would get the best caterers and cake designers I can afford. I take a decent photograph, would I take my own photographs? No I hire a professional photographer... Get the message?

"I know how to lose weight"... "I know how to exercise"... "I have a friend who goes to the gym she will help me"..."I will do it myself".... If you want to achieve your goals you Should consider hiring a professional to get that result. You are the centre of attention. You need to invest in you... this is the time to be selfish for yourself?