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Chances are, if you're reading this magazine, your wedding day is down the road or right around the corner. You've got the ceremony and reception sites booked, the invitations ordered, and the honeymoon set. But there's still one more thing to worry about: do you feel physically fit enough to walk down that isle and knock your guests and groom off their feet with your look?
If not, getting together with a physical trainer is easier than you think and the results will definitely bring a smile to your face.
Jessica Thomas, owner of Fit 2 Wed, says most of the brides she works with have set goals in mind when they arrive at her business.
"They have goals to lose weight, tone and firm, especially their upper body, and feel comfortable in a bikini for their honeymoon," Thomas said. "To get ready for their strapless gowns, many brides want to sculpt their back and shoulders, lose the 'bra fat', and get more definition in their biceps and triceps."
Thomas believes that, for most brides, fitness ranks high on their list of priorities, but sometimes too many responsibilities and too little time can be a bit stressful.
"However, for many brides, the business of working and planning a wedding can be overwhelming and time-consuming," Thomas said. "As a result, brides end up putting other obligations before their workouts."
With Thomas and other fitness experts nationwide, brides can attend a boot camp to get in shape for their big day.
"When the brides start the boot camp, I assess their body fat, weight, measurements, take before pictures and we set realistic short- and long-term goals," Thomas remarked. "It is very rewarding and motivating at the six- and twelve- week mark for them to not only have their clothes fit better, but to also see how many inches they have lost and that their hard work has paid off to reach their goal."
Thomas said that when she married several years back, she attended all the bridal shows and could not believe there was nothing there to help brides get in shape for their wedding. Realizing that brides were missing out on an important part of wedding planning, Thomas was encouraged to start her fitness business.
"I wanted to offer brides a unique program to help them meet their fitness goals and look their best for their big day," Thomas said.
Although Thomas' boot camp class is only for women, many of the brides in attendance have motivated their fiancés to start working out more, especially as they see their bride getting in shape and looking good. "Therefore, I do get couples that do personal training sessions with me," Thomas noted.
Fitness trainer Rossana Creamer also believes a bride always wants to look her best on her wedding day, as well as on the honeymoon.
"I always rank fitness on the priority list," Creamer said. "Exercise not only would make the bride look better and more toned, but it would also help her cope with the stress that any bride goes through before their wedding. And if the exercise program is designed in an efficient and proper way, it would give the bride energy to get through her busy daily schedule she faces before the wedding."
Creamer stresses that an exercise program must always be customized to the needs of each individual.
"To design a training program for a client, I would conduct an evaluation on my new client," Creamer said. "The evaluation covers several aspects such as postural assessment, flexibility, and other tests that will give me a lot of information about the client's body, so that I can design a personalized program."
"Considering the stress brides go through before their wedding day, I would suggest a bride do cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or jogging, or any 'cardio machine' at the gym for about 30 to 45 minutes three or four times per week, and three days a week of resistance and flexibility exercises, which would include core and every muscle group. The program should be good enough to notice a difference in her body, but nothing too strenuous or competitive that would end up adding more stress to her body," Creamer added.
Jason Ventetuolo, owner of Fitness Together in Del Mar, notes fitness trainers are seeing more and more couples looking to trainers for help on their big day. "Most [brides] just want to lose a few pounds and tone up," Ventetuolo noted. "The legs and shoulders/arms are big hot spots, too."
Ventetuolo sees more and more brides making fitness a high priority before their wedding day.
"That may be because as more and more people are becoming overweight, they use this day as motivation to do something they have not yet been motivated to do," Ventetuolo said. "I think dress is still number one, then where, then honeymoon, then how they look. I guess who they marry might be pretty high," he added.
Like other trainers, Ventetuolo can put ladies through a camp to work them into shape.
"At my center, I have developed a special Buff Bride Bootcamp," Ventetuolo noted. "It is a full-body workout, but it is different from a traditional weightloss workout. I use a little heavier weights with the brides, and I have a set 'periodized' program for them. I have a six- and twelve - week Buff Bride Bootcamp program. I want to maximize the 'wow' factor for these ladies. Most brides are very determined and motivated, so I can push them a little harder, too."
Ventetuolo encourages brides to bring their special guy in for a joint workout, allowing the pair to share getting fit.
"I highly encourage it," Ventetuolo said. "Couples need activities that they can do together. What a great thing to motivate and get each other healthy. This is so overlooked by couples. Best advice ever: work out together."
And as Thomas notes, while wedding preparations can be stressful, the light at the end of the tunnel is the goal.
"Most brides have a vision of how they want to look walking down the aisle in their wedding gown, which provides tremendous motivation to hit the gym," Thomas said.
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