Wedding Bells

Fit & Fabulous

The Bulging Brides experts share how to get in shape for your wedding day. By Stephanie Gray

• Print
• Email to a friend

According to a 2008 study done by Cornell University, more than 70% of you are looking to drop 20 pounds before the big day. Sounds a little extreme to us! But if the success of the TV program Bulging Brides on Slice is any indication, then how you look in your dress is definitely on your minds. Weddingbells recently had the chance to chat with the show’s experts, personal trainer Tommy Europe and nutritionist Nadeen Boman, who shared their tips and tricks to help you shape up and feel great.

Tommy's Tips:

1. Be Realistic On the show many of the brides wait until the last minute before they decide they want to lose weight. If you aren't allowing yourself much time for change, then you have to be realistic about what you can accomplish, explains Europe. On the show the contestants work out about five to six days a week, incorporating both cardio and weight training.

2. Do High-Intensity Training

The fastest, most efficient way to lose weight is with high-intensity training, says Europe. That is working up to 80% of your maximum capacity for shorter periods of time. You have to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and most people have a hard time doing so, which is when a personal trainer could be beneficial to your success.

3. Consider a Personal Trainer

A personal trainer can help you push your body to the next level, particularly if you're stuck at a plateau or just plain don't know where to start. In terms of choosing a personal trainer, Europe says, "Recommendations are always good. You need to find someone you click with, but at the same time will get you where you need to be.

4. Go for Variety

If you've been working out regularly and haven't seen any changes it may be because your body is stuck in a rut. "You need to constantly shock your muscles, and you don't want to be bored," says Europe. Whether that's trying a new class or going outside, have fun with it.

5. Never Say "I Can't"

This is Europe's #1 rule of success! There's nothing stopping you from reaching your goals, but yourself. Remember at the end of the day it's about building a healthy lifestyle and finding activities you love.

Nadeen's Tricks:

1. Know Your Numbers

You can exercise all you want, but if you don't eat right, your body isn't going to change. "Nutrition is 50% of the equation," says Boman. "It's a matter of calories in, calories out." This is why you should be aware of your resting metabolic rate. This number tells you how many calories your body burns by itself. From there you can determine how many calories you need to cut from your diet. With 3,500 calories making up one pound of fat (and the average female consuming 2,000 calories a day), it's easy to see how it's almost impossible to lose weight with diet or exercise alone.

2. Eat Enough

While cutting a drastic amount of calories from your diet may seem like a quick and easy solution for weight loss, doing so will actually have the opposite effect. "If you're not eating enough your body doesn't know when it's going to eat again, so it starts storing everything you put in," says Boman. Besides not being able to maintain this diet in the long term, you'll also slow down your metabolism.

3. Strive for Moderation

What happens when you tell yourself you can't have something? You automatically can't stop thinking about it. The program Boman instills in the brides is extremely strict because of the tight timeline, but ideally a treat or two a week is a good thing. If you don't have a plan that allows room to indulge, you'll never stick to it.

4. Be Prepared

Worried about those pre-wedding soirees? Your best bet is to prepare yourself, whether that requires you to tell your family or bridesmaids that you want healthy options available—like a veggie tray or fruit platter—or to have a light snack beforehand so you're not ravenous. It's also a good idea to avoid alcohol. Not only are booze empty calories, but also the food decisions you make while drinking often aren't the best.

5. Snack

Your body should be a well-running machine, explains Boman. You need to feed it every few hours, meaning it's not only OK, but also necessary, to eat in between meals. A handful of nuts or a piece of fruit are great options. Also don't forget to snack post-workout.

6. Snap Your Progress

It's easy to look at yourself in the mirror and not see changes even if they're happening. A picture is a great way to track your progress, notes Boman, who says it's an accurate way to prove to yourself that what you're doing is working.