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Get in Shape for Your Wedding
For many of us it takes a very special goal to motivate us into actually doing something
about those few extra pounds or toning the part of our body that we are always conscious
of! What could be a better incentive than getting the look you want for your wedding day?
Healthy and sensible eating, together with aerobic exercise is the most effective way of reducing excess fat and toning up permanently and safely.
Kelly
Parkynn from Body
Change, the health and fitness consultancy which specialises in designing
personalised healthy eating and exercise programmes for the bride-to-be and the shape they
want for their wedding, has some tips on how to look your best on your wedding day.
Healthy Eating Weight Loss
The old adage of "diets don't work" is true for most people. People are drawn to
the promised quick results, which nearly always ends in failure or leads to 'yo-yo'
dieting due to the fact that you are unable to overcome the most powerful natural
instinct; the very drive to eat in order to survive.
Even if the regime is stuck to, diets
can leave you looking tired, gaunt and feeling hungry, nauseous, nervous and irritable -
not the ideal state to be in on your wedding day.
So the answer to losing weight sensibly
and feeling healthy, is to take it slowly by adopting a healthy eating regime:
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Aim to lose 1-1.5 lbs per week by reducing calorie intake by 500 per day. |
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Eat slow release carbohydrates e.g. brown pasta, pulses, porridge,
vegetables, yoghurt etc. Carbohydrates will produce more consistent energy levels, longer
relief from hunger and give your body more chance to use up fat rather than storing it
into fat. Carbohydrates should make up 60% of daily food intake. |
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Reduce your saturated fats e.g. crisps, chocolate, spreads, fried
food but increase essential fats e.g. fish, nuts, seeds. Fat should make up 20% of daily
food intake, with no more than 10% coming from saturated fats. |
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Eat some high protein foods such as meat and poultry. Grill or roast
rather than fry, trim off any visible fat and remove the skin from chicken and turkey.
Protein should make up 20 % of your daily food intake.
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Increase the amount of fibre e.g. vegetables, dried fruit, baked potato,
wholemeal bread. |
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Reduce processed foods e.g. frozen, tinned, pickled foods etc. and refined
foods e.g. white bread, white pasta, white rice etc. |
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Drink at least 2 litres of water a day and reduce amount of caffeine,
sugary drinks and alcohol |
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Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, either with meals or as a
snack. Also supplement with a good multivitamin. |
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Eat small frequent meals and try to avoid heavy meals in
the evening or
missing meals |
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A little of what you want does you good is absolutely right. As long as
you don't binge, a little of what you fancy won't have any effect on your weight loss. |
Exercise and Resistance Training
Exercise and resistance/weight training are essential components of any weight loss and
toning up programme.
When you are active your body burns fat and sugars predominantly but when you are inactive
your body burns more sugar than fat. So as you become fitter, your body's ability to burn
fat will increase. Also, exercising releases hormones called endorphins which help improve
your mood and aid in dealing with the wedding planning stress!
People often fear that working with weights will build bulky muscle. This is not true.
Weight training is essential for shaping and toning the body and is the key to raising
your metabolic rate. Muscle burns the most energy in the body and the more you use it, the
more energy it burns.
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Exercising for 20 minutes a day, 3 times a week will increase your fitness
level. This doesn't mean you have to go to the gym and hate every minute of it! Fast
walking is an excellent means of exercise when first starting an exercise programme and
can fit into any busy schedule. You could get off the bus a stop earlier than normal, walk
to work instead of driving or walk in your lunch break. When performed properly can burn
many more calories than regular walking. |
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When you feel your fitness level increase try some interval training by
walking then running - beginners should start with a longer walking phase and build up to
a longer running phase as they reach a higher level of fitness. |
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Press ups are a great exercise for toning up the back of the arms and
shoulders. Start with half press ups and progress to full press ups once you have built up
strength. 2 sets of 15 twice a week. |
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Squats and lunges will help tone up the thighs, buttocks, lower leg
muscles, abdominals and lower back. As you get stronger use hand weights to increase the
intensity of the exercise. 2 sets of 25 twice a week |
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Basic crunches are the most effective ways of toning the stomach. Make
sure you keep the movement slow and focus on tensing your stomach and keeping your back
flat to the floor. |
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Invest in some hand held weights and start a whole body weight training
programme for all over toning.
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