Fitness Tips for Brides

You just got engaged and now the fun of planning a wedding begins. Finding the perfect venue, a cake, music, flowers, oh and of course the dress are all part of the big day.   You want to look your best and part of looking your best is good nutrition and working out.

Below are some common questions and answers to help you effectively and efficiently prepare:

How far in advance should the newly engaged bride to be begin her fitness program?

To start to see physical changes and muscle definition it takes 8-10 weeks for the body to respond to a consistent strength training program.  This is where a personal trainer is key.  Having a personal trainer allows you to be accountable and not skip workouts.  Especially as it get closer to the wedding date, life on becomes more stressful and more busy.  Also, a personal trainer has the the background to design a workout program that meets your fitness goal needs so you are not wasting your time doing the wrong exercises.

How do I go about finding a personal trainer?

Unfortunately, just about anyone c an call themselves a personal trainer.  Most states do not have a state wide licensure program to regulate the quality of personal training out there.  Therefore, you’ll want to do your research before trusting your body to just anyone.  For example, Columbus Fitness Consultants of Columbus, Ohio ( www.columbusfitness.com ) has a highly experienced staff who all have a degree in Exercise Science.  There are certification programs out there to certify individuals to become trainers however the average consumer does not have the knowledge to distinguish a valuable accredited certification versus an over the weekend online course.  So be inquisitive and ask in detail what your potential personal trainer’s qualifications are before trusting your body over to them.

How many times a week and for how long each time should I be working out?

For strength training a minimum of two times per week is recommended.  For cardio training such as, running, elliptical, biking, swimming or aerobics classes a minimum of three times a week of 30 minutes at time is recommended.

My wedding dress is strapless and I want defined shoulders and arm but I don’t want to bulk.  How can I avoid this?

Because of a woman’s natural hormone levels of progesterone versus estrogen versus testosterone it is extremely unlikely to bulk from strength training the upper body.  Not to say that women cannot achieve this however it takes a very disciplined diet and hours upon hours of heavy lifting.  For general toning and gains in strength it is recommended to do a variety of upper body exercises and keep the reps high in the range of 20-25.