Every bride wants to look fabulous on her wedding day, after all...all eyes will be on you. You should first have a goal in mind-whether your plan is to tone up or to lose some of that body fat, this might be helpful. You want to look good and feel good--in your dress and in your body.
Here are some great tips from trainer David Kirsch
* Eat smart To drop weight quickly, I usually recommend avoiding refined carbs like sugar and white bread, which don't have much nutritional value and are hard to eat in smaller portions. Instead, eat more lean protein like fish and poultry, vegetables, and healthy fats (the kind found in avocados, olive oil, and almonds). Also, divide your calories among five or six small meals throughout the day. It's easier for your body to process smaller meals than large ones, and that can keep you from overeating.
* Zero in on your target areas Your dress might show off everything from your shoulders and upper back to your hips and calves. Choose moves that focus on problem spots and put those at the top of your priority list so you don't skip them, especially when you're tired. Aim to work your target areas three or four times a week (muscles need to rest and recover between strength workouts), using a variety of exercises. Of course, don't forget to add cardio to the list--it's the only way to get rid of flab.
HOW IT WORKS
These moves will help you get in show-off shape for every event this summer. Warm up for at least five minutes with easy cardio, then do one set of each exercise in order without resting. Complete the circuit three times (then do cardio if you want). On alternate days, do 45 minutes of cardio.
YOU'LL NEED
A set of 3- to 8-pound dumbbells, a stability ball, and a medicine ball (optional).
1 Boxing drills
WORKS BICEPS, SHOULDERS, TRICEPS, BACK, AND ABS
Stand with feet wide and hold a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell in each hand. Do 10 seconds each of crosses (punching forward across body), upper-cuts (punching up and twisting hand so pinkie finger faces chin), and hooks (punching from side to side out wide), alternating arms. Finish with 10 seconds of weighted jumping jacks: Start with hands near shoulders, palms facing forward, and extend arms up when you jump. Repeat series twice, doing each drill for 20 seconds, then 30 seconds.
2 Sumo lunge with frog hop
WORKS THIGHS, BUTT, AND HIPS
Stand with feet together and arms bent, hands in fists next to shoulders. Keeping knee bent, arc left leg up in front and wide out to the side (like sumo wrestlers do), then lower into a squat. Rise up, kick left leg out to the left, foot flexed, and return to squat. Jump up, land with knees soft, and repeat. Do 15 reps, then switch sides to complete set.
3 Oblique crunch
WORKS ABS
Lie faceup on floor and roll slightly to the right so you're resting on the right side of your butt. Place left hand behind head, rest right hand on floor out to the side, and cross ankles [A]. Lift legs and draw head and upper body toward knee [B]. Don't tuck knees toward your chest; use your abs to draw your legs up. Do 10 to 15 reps; on the last one, pulse legs and head toward each other 10 times. Switch sides to complete set.
4 Ball pullover
WORKS BACK, INNER THIGHS, AND CORE
Hold a 3-pound dumbbell in each hand and lie faceup with a stability ball under your shoulders and a medicine ball between your thighs (optional); keep hips even with torso. Extend arms shoulder-width apart over chest, palms facing forward [A]. Keeping torso still, lower weights behind head and draw them out so they're slightly wider than shoulders [B]. Return to start and repeat. Do 15 reps. If you can, grab 5- or 8-pounders for subsequent sets and do 10 to 12 reps.
5 Crab walk and dip
WORKS TRICEPS AND UPPER BACK
Sit with knees bent, feet flat, and hands behind hips, fingers pointing away from feet. Lift hips several inches off floor and "walk" backward on hands and feet 5 steps, then walk forward 5 steps. Reverse hands so fingers point toward feet and do 5 dips. Do 10 of each for the second set and 15 of each for the third.
6 Dumbbell wraparound
WORKS CHEST
Hold a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell in each hand and lie with a stability ball under shoulders. Extend arms shoulder-width apart over chest, palms facing each other. Lower weights behind head until arms are parallel with floor, then turn palms away from each other and draw weights in an arc toward legs. Bring ends of weights together over hips, raise arms to start position and repeat. Do 12 to 15 reps.
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