Shape Up
in a Year or Less
Got a year to the big day? Here's your guide to trimming
the fat.
So your wedding day is just around the corner and you still
haven't started the diet you've been talking about since the
day he slipped the ring on your finger. Or maybe you're planning
ahead...12 months to go and you already joined your local
gym. No matter what your predicament, the following steps
will help you slide effortlessly into your gown.
A Year And Counting
According to Kathy Drake, 12 months is an ideal weight loss
and toning time frame. The body has plenty of time to adjust
to a workout and diet plan. A bride-to-be can start off with
20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and, each week, add an
additional five minutes until the goal time is reached. The
same is true for weights-start with a light weight and a high
number of repetitions and gradually build up to the heavier
weights.
It sounds easy to shape up in such a long amount of time,
yet there's always a catch. Drake says, "After a month, your
routine is not going to be as challenging and weight loss
is going to slow down, which is good because it means your
body is getting in shape. To keep the changes coming, it is
recommended to take one [aspect of your routine] and change
it." This idea is known as the FITT Principle (frequency,
intensity, type and time): work out one more time per week;
add an extra 15 minutes to your routine; incorporate 30-second
sprints for increased intensity; or maybe try inline skating
on nice days, instead of your usual step class.
As for dieting, a year is a long time to deprive yourself
of the foods you love. The important thing isn't to ignore
cravings, but to give in to them in moderation. Drake is a
big fan of the food pyramid, which encourages women to eat
a variety of foods, including some fat and sugar. If you're
trying to lose weight, keep these amounts limited and try
to get them from healthy sources that provide other nutrients.
A good rule of thumb is to stay away from processed foods
and eat what you can find in nature.
Six Months Left
Six months gives you plenty of time to get in shape. As a matter
of fact, most people can see results in only two months. Drake
says that those interested in shedding pounds and inches should
combine cardiovascular exercise with strength training and a
well-balanced, low-fat diet. She cites the London College of
Sports Medicine (LCSM) as recommending four-plus days of exercise
per week to help lose weight. Obviously the less time you have
until the wedding, the more exercise, within reason, you should
do. Aim for 20-60 minutes of cardio per session with your heart
rate reaching from 55-85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Although more exercise is usually seen as better when it
comes to losing weight, there are a few times this is not
true. For example, you should never strength train two days
in a row, because the muscle fibers will not have enough time
to repair themselves between workouts. There's no need for
a rest day between cardio workouts, but you should definitely
take at least one day off per week from all exercise so your
body can completely recover.
Once you hit your goal weight, work at maintaining your new
body and even making slight improvements. Many women worry
that by weight training they'll become bulky or manly. However,
muscle-mass actually takes up less space than fat, leaving
your body more streamlined and statuesque. And the more toned
your body, the more efficiently you will burn calories, even
at rest, because muscle helps to raise your metabolism.
If you have trouble finding time to exercise as you near
the big day, LCSM states that exercising three to four days
a week with two days of strength training should keep you
at a steady state. Any influx in the scale will probably be
due to muscle gain and fat loss. Continue to eat healthy and
you'll make it to the altar as a new, thinner you.
Almost There
With under two months to go, there isn't much that can be done
to lose weight and still be healthy. It's recommended that you
lose no more than one to two pounds of fat per week, so at this
point only those looking to lose a little extra baggage are
in luck. Your first instinct will probably be to starve yourself,
or to try one of the many fad diets that deprive your body of
the necessary nutrients to function. However, Drake recommends
that you "listen to your body. People who are not taking in
enough calories lose some mental clarity and get tired easily."
If you're run down, you will not be able to handle all the last-minute
wedding details that will surely be headed your way.
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