Let’s get ready for the BIG DAY!
BRIDAL BOOTCAMP
What is it? Alright my bridal babes! We know how stressful planning a wedding can be. We also know that you want to get in the best shape possible before your big day. Let’s get in shape and have some fun along the way! Bring your bridal party along for the ride! We are going to raise those endorphins, listen to some awesome jams and get your workout on! Let’s get bridal babe READY Siwicki Fitness style!
When? Saturday (March 13th) at 11:45am.
How do I sign up? Sign up, here. Share this link with your friends so they can sign up as well! If you are the bride let us know so we can celebrate you!
PRE-WEDDING TIPS
TIP #1: Drink up, BABY!
No, not champagne, silly. We're talking about good old H2O.
"Research shows that sipping water before a meal helps fill you up, and being well hydrated will prevent bloating and give you glowing skin," says Vandana Sheth, R.D.N., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
How much should you aim to drink daily? There are no hard-and-fast recommendations; that exactly-eight-glasses-a-day business is actually bunk, says Sheth. Instead, she suggests dividing your body weight by two to get the number of ounces you should be consuming. For example, a 140-pound woman would need the equivalent of eight and three-quarter cups a day. Bump that number up if you workout, and try to have a full cup of water within thirty minutes of exercising.
Want a trick to make "drink water" a more exciting kickoff initiative? Throw some lime wedges and mint in there to feel fancy. Or, buy a super cute, large sized (25 oz or more) water bottle that you'll continually want to refill—so people in the break room can compliment both your fabulous taste and fabulous hydration habits.
TIP #2: Switch up your STRENGTH ROUTINE
Gunnar Peterson, the Beverly Hills-based celebrity trainer who famously got the real Kim Kardashian ready for her wedding to Kanye West explains, "You've got to keep shaking things up. One of the biggest mistakes I see women making is doing the same moves for months and months. After about four to six weeks, you're going to stop getting results."
He recommends swapping in multi-muscle exercises that target several groups at the same time (cough, cough, hello Jacob's STRENGTH & ABS classes) — like wood chops, squats with a shoulder press, and lunges with a biceps curl. "They give you much more bang for your buck because they work your upper and lower body muscles, as well as your core at the same time, so you'll burn more calories and get more done in less time than if you were standing there just doing biceps curls," he says. "You'll also build more lean tissue which you want because it will change your shape and make you look more defined, not bulky, and also drive your metabolism. You'll burn calories at a faster rate all day, every day."
TIP #3: Get that A.M. workout in!
Science says that exercising first thing in a "fasted state" could do amazing things for your body, by jacking up your exercise's fat-burning effects.
"There are a couple of reasons why this works," explains Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist and personal trainer in San Diego. "First, levels of cortisol—a hormone that promotes fat metabolism for energy—are higher in the morning, so if you work out with no food in your system, it leads to higher amounts of fat burning. Plus, your body burns calories even when you're sleeping, so by the time you get up in the morning there are lower levels of carbohydrates in your system that are available for fuel. That means your body has to rely on fat stores as its main source of energy."
To maximize the effect, he recommends keeping your workout to 30 to 40 minutes—no matter what kind of exercise you do in the morning. And yes, it's okay to have coffee with a splash of milk first. A girl has to wake up, after all. Just avoid anything too sugary, or your insulin levels will rise—which has the opposite effect of helping to promote fat storage.
TIP #4: Steer Clear of Processed Foods
While we acknowledge that PopTarts may very well be the most delicious things on earth, a growing body of evidence suggests that highly processed foods contain chemicals that cause inflammation in the body and encourage overeating.
Processed foods are deliberately engineered to make you crave them, lighting up the same "reward" area of the brain that drugs like cocaine do, says Beller. Yikes! While some processed foods are obvious (sigh...potato chips), there are lots of seemingly healthy options—like whole grain crackers or low-cal frozen dinners—that are still über processed. Read food labels and steer clear of anything with long ingredients lists or unpronounceable Frankengredients. Generally, if it comes in a bag or box and has a long shelf life, you don't want it.
TIP #6: Take a CHEAT DAY: You deserve it.
Rather than beat yourself up about the loaded nachos, stuffed crust pizza, or double cheeseburgers, seek those out every once in a while.
According to the National Weight Control Registry, which collects data on the habits of 10,000-plus people who have lost weight and kept it off, being able to immediately recover when you deviate from healthy eating is one of the key predictors of long-term wellness success.
Think of it this way: "Every meal, every snack is a fresh start," says Sheth.
TIP #7: Plan a Sentimental Sunday
The period leading up to your wedding will be one of the most emotional times of your life. And you'll want to eclipse all the negative feelings—stress, impatience, frustration—with the infinitely-more positive sentiments of affection, adoration, and admiration towards your partner. To do that, plan a "Sentimental Sunday."
Read through old social media or text message exchanges from the early stages of your relationship. Watch your all-time favorite date night movie. Prepare a home-cooked version of the meal you had on your first date. Sit on the couch and tell each other your top three most memorable moments from your coupledom (both the good and bad). Then, be prepared to laugh, cry, and fall in love all over again.
TIP #8: Exfoliate & Tea time
Exfoliation is the buffing away of dead, flaky skin cells to reveal a shinier, smoother complexion. According to research, regular rubbing minimizes clogged pores, prevents breakouts, erases dark spots and discoloration, and preps your skin to better absorb serums and moisturizers. A bright, fresh face is great any day, but especially important for that "bridal glow."
Best stress-battling beverage: pick up a really good, chamomile-lemon blend. Citrus is a property that actually helps to get your muscles nice and relaxed, and the chamomile itself is known as a soothing property for the mind. You want to balance those two things out.
TIP #9: Purchase cute workout clothes
Wear your gym motivation on your sleeve—literally. If you look good, you'll feel good and that'll translate to more frequent and effective workouts. Try one of Juliann's favorite leggings from Athleta, here. Your booty, legs and tummy will thank her later :).
TIP #10: Fiber up, baby!
Fiber isn't exactly the sexiest topic in the world, but it can do your body a world of good. It keeps you full and satisfied, helps naturally remove toxins from your body, and expedites weight loss.
A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that participants who were instructed to get at least 30 grams of fiber a day—but that was the only dietary change they made—lost nearly as much as a group of people who were put on a much more complex diet that required limiting calories, fat, sugar, and salt; and upping fruit, veggie, and whole grain consumption. In addition to the fullness factor, fiber actually prevents your body from absorbing some of the calories in the foods you eat. In one study, people who ate 35 grams of fiber a day cut 245 calories from their daily diets.
Aim to get 30 to 35 grams of fiber a day. (The average American gets about half the recommended amount of fiber each day, so odds are you need to up your fiber game, too.) And try to have eight to 10 grams of it at breakfast. It's an easy meal to get it in because there are so many high fiber options—like cereals, whole wheat bread, and oatmeal. And if you fall a little short at another meal, you'll be covered.
One word of caution: If your diet is currently fiber poor, add it in slowly. If you jump right to 35 grams a day you might feel gassy and bloated. So, for example, rather than going for a big bowl of All Bran tomorrow morning, mix it half and half with whatever cereal you eat now. Try the same strategy at other meals and gradually up your fiber grams until you hit that magic 30 to 35 range.
Here's a quick list of some high-fiber foods, measured in grams per cup:
Black beans, canned—17 g
Lentils, cooked—16 g
White beans, canned (chickpeas, cannellini, etc.)—13 g
Peanuts—12 g
Edamame, shelled—8 g
Green peas—8 g
Raspberries and blackberries—8 g
Apples—4 g
Carrots—4 g
Potato, with skin—4 g
Corn—3 g
Orange—3 g
Broccoli—2 g
Cauliflower—2 g
