Health Tips for Wedding Prep: Fitness and Nutrition Guide
As a personal trainer and wedding planning expert, I’m passionate about helping brides feel their absolute best on their big day. Combining my knowledge in fitness and wedding prep, I’ve crafted a guide to help you achieve your health goals without added stress. Here’s how to approach your fitness and nutrition journey during wedding prep!
Set Realistic Goals
Before diving into a new workout or nutrition plan, establish clear, realistic goals. I always encourage my clients to focus on feeling strong, confident, and energized rather than aiming for drastic changes. Whether you want to lean out, increase energy levels, or simply feel healthier, having a clear vision will guide your journey.
Create a Balanced Workout Routine
I recommend a combination of cardio, strength training, and flexibility to help you feel your best on your wedding day. Here’s a breakdown:
Strength Training: This is key to transforming your body composition and boosting your metabolism. I suggest low-impact, strength-focused workouts that emphasize training until failure. Choose weights heavy enough that by the time you’re reaching between 10–12 reps, you only have 1 or 2 more reps left until true failure. Three sets per exercise are ideal. Stick to staple movements—about 3–5 basic exercises per workout—and focus on proper form, time under tension, and progressive overload.
Cardio: While cardio has its place, it’s not the most efficient way to reprogram your internal system for long-term results. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) might burn more calories during the workout, but it’s not as effective at increasing your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) throughout the day. Building muscle through strength training ensures you’re burning more calories throughout the day, not just during the workout.
Flexibility and Stress Relief: Including yoga or Pilates in your routine can improve flexibility, reduce stress, and help you stay mindful throughout the planning process.
Plan Your Nutrition
Nutrition is the most important factor if you want to look and feel your best. Here’s what I recommend:
Protein Intake: Aim to consume between 0.75–1 gram of protein per pound of your current or goal body weight. Protein is essential for muscle growth, repair, and overall health.
Track Your Food: I highly recommend tracking your daily macronutrient and caloric intake. Many people are either eating too much or too little without realizing it. Tracking helps you stay consistent and adjust as needed.
Whole Foods Only: Focus on unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods and limit added sugars and inflammatory foods.
Nutrient-Dense Choices: Eat foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties to promote healing and keep your energy levels high.
Meal Prep: This is crucial. Planning and preparing your meals in advance helps you stay on track and reduces decision fatigue during your busy planning days.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and maintain glowing, healthy skin.
Why Strength Training Over High-Intensity Cardio?
Most people assume weight training is inferior to high-intensity cardio because it doesn’t burn as many calories during the workout itself. However, the real magic happens outside the gym. When your body composition shifts to having more muscle than fat, your metabolism works harder throughout the day to sustain itself, meaning you burn more calories even at rest. This also helps with glucose storage, making it more likely that your food will be stored in muscles rather than as fat.
Manage Stress and Sleep
Stress and lack of sleep can negatively affect your health journey. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night and incorporate relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing, to stay calm and focused.
Track Your Progress
Tracking your progress can keep you motivated. Whether it's a fitness journal, an app, or regular photos, celebrate small victories along the way. Remember—it’s not just about the number on the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat, so you can weight the exact same but still be in a smaller pant size and look leaner. This is because one pound of muscle takes up less space than one pound of fat. Focus on body composition and how you feel, rather than just the scale. If you are set on weighing yourself, then I suggest investing in a body composition scale, so you can see the breakdown of your body composition on your phone and understand the depths of your body changing.
Don't Forget to Rest
Rest days are essential for muscle recovery and overall well-being. Make sure to incorporate them into your workout plan.
The Bottom Line
Your wedding day is all about celebrating love and happiness. Taking care of your health along the way will not only help you feel amazing but also reduce stress and boost your confidence. Remember, it’s all about feeling your best, not fitting into a specific mold. You’ve got this!
