Workout: Get Wedding-Dress Ready

You’ve accepted a proposal, and now it’s time to begin planning the big day. Your head is swimming with all the details you need to tackle, so you begin compiling a list to help stay organized — choosing the date, narrowing down the guest list, selecting the bridal party, picking the perfect venue, interviewing photographers, bands and DJs, florists, bakers and caterers, sending invitations, choosing the dress of your dreams … wait! The dress!

If you’ve been picturing yourself in a gorgeous wedding gown since you were a little girl, chances are you know exactly what silhouette you want to rock down the runway, err, aisle. And as Kate Hudson’s character said in the movie Bride Wars: “You don’t alter Vera Wang to fit you, you alter yourself to fit Vera.”

“There are so many added stressors when planning a wedding that physical activity and nutrition can become secondary concerns to many brides,” says Arnit Kobryniec, a certified personal trainer in South Florida who has a master’s degree in psychology, specializing in eating habits and behaviors. “On the other hand, the pressure of looking perfect may cause some brides to turn to the extreme, losing weight too fast with strict dieting. This is why a properly planned wedding regimen is necessary as the big day approaches.”

The Countdown Begins

Because most wedding-gown boutiques and designers require a rough six-month lead time to order your dress, you’ll likely find yourself in the position of needing to order your dress long before you’ve sculpted the toned arms and trim waist you plan on achieving in time for your wedding day. Thankfully, it’s easier to take a dress in than out, so it’s wise to buy a dress that fits now and adjust as you reach your goals.

Kobryniec, who is a bride-to-be herself, shares a timeline to help keep you on track for the final dress fitting you’ve been dreaming of:

12 to nine months:

• Set big and small goals. The small goals should be attainable, monthly checkpoints to help keep you focused on the ultimate big goal. Why? When we experience even small amounts of success, our brains release dopamine, which leads to pleasure and motivation. For planning purposes, a healthy weight-loss pace is about 4 to 8 pounds a month. Don’t forget that you can lose inches before you lose weight — and losing body fat while gaining muscle will certainly shrink down your waistline.

• Make a plan. If you’ve already purchased a dress, use that as your goal setter. If it’s an open back dress, then you should target your lats as you get closer to the date. If it’s a strapless, add extra delt movements. Knowing what you’re working with will help you reach results more quickly.

• Identify your obstacles. There’s no sense in pretending they don’t exist, so outline your trigger foods. What are those sweets or salty calories you’ll need to cut out in the coming year? What excuses do you find yourself always using for skipping the gym? Write them down, then write out your solutions around them to help hold yourself accountable.

Eight to six months:

• Create a visual planner. Your schedule will get crazy as the big day approaches. Write everything down in your calendar, including your appointments with wedding vendors and also your workouts. If you set time aside for the gym, you are more likely to follow through.

• Journal your meals. Take a look at what you’re eating. Start implementing more green juices and fruits into your diet, if you haven’t already done so.

• Shake things up. Do not let your training get repetitive because that makes it hard to stay motivated. Look for different workout classes based on your mood — choose high-intensity interval training when you’re short on time, Spinning when you’re feeling pumped up, yoga when you need some inner peace and Pilates when you need to stretch away the stress.

Five to three months:

• Kick it up a notch. Add an additional training day each week so your goals become easier to attain. Not sure of what to do on that extra day? Try these four moves for killer arms. Not reaching your goals quickly enough? It’s time to enlist the help of a personal trainer or coach to learn additional movements or pointers.

• Continue to journal. Take a look back at your first few entries. What have you not yet achieved? Refocus and tackle those outstanding goals.

• Revisit your meal program. If you are lifting more, make sure you are eating more — but also eating clean. To reach that toned look, you’ve got to lift weights, and to have the energy to lift, you’ve got to fuel your body. Pay attention to your macros, and increase your carbohydrate and fat intake (as long as you are adding training days or increasing your weights to compensate for it).

Two to one month:

• Dress fitting. Allow this time to be your last big sprint before the finish line. If you need to lose another 5 pounds, make sure you take a look at your visual planner and see what you can do to lose those last few inches in a healthy manner.

• Stay vigilant with your healthy habits. Remember, treat your workouts and meal prepping like an appointment. If you find yourself stressing out, use the gym as your escape.

• Add in planned cheats. Do not skip meals thinking it’ll help you look better in your dress. On the contrary, allow small cheat meals once a week so you don’t deprive yourself and go on a bender mere days before the wedding.

Three to one week:

• Final dress fitting. If you didn’t reach your goal, it’s OK. Do not go crazy trying to lose the weight at this point or you’ll end up with a loose dress on the day of the wedding. Focus on toning any areas that are bothering you.

Less than one week:

• You’re more than a number. Congratulations! You worked so hard, the last thing you want to worry about is the number on the scale. At the end of the day, that number pales in comparison to the confidence you’ll exude knowing you did your very best.

• Eat, seriously. You aren’t going to gain crazy pounds in the next few days. Just go light on the liquor and salty foods, which can cause bloating.

• Hydrate. Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids and electrolytes because you have a lot to do in the next 72 hours — a lot of hugging, smiling and dancing!

• Have the time of your life. Have fun and enjoy yourself. You are beautiful and your fiance’s jaw will drop when you walk down the aisle.

The Ultimate Bridal Workout

Looking for some quick workouts that can be done at home, in the gym or even in the hotel the week of the wedding? All you need is your bodyweight and a mini-band.

Day 1

Repeat three times.

With Mini-Band:

Repeat three times.

With Mini-Band:

Repeat three times.

Day 2

Workout can be done with bodyweight or weights.

Repeat three times.

With Mini-Band:

Repeat three times.

Day 3

Repeat two times.

Repeat two times.