Wedding Workoutby Kate Dailey for ExerciseTV
Every bride wants to look amazing in her wedding dress. But surviving your wedding day is a separate challenge altogether. The happiest day of your life is also a grueling, intense, marathon of a day—and one done in a corset and heels. That’s why we found the best tips to beat common wedding conundrums—and unveiled some new moves from Violet Zaki’s Bridal Body Burn Workout. Follow these steps to ensure that you start AND end the day looking fantastic.
PROBLEM: You have to spend an entire hour standing in front of your friends and family—no slouching or fidgeting!
SOLUTION: Add this move to your workout in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. It will work your triceps, shoulders, upper back, core, glutes, and thighs, and improve balance, all of which will help perfect your posture.
With a set of 5-pound weights, stand on your right leg with a soft knee. Lift your left knee to hip level, and bring your arms extended behind you with weights in both hands. Bring your hands closer together, almost touching. Open your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together. As you lift your arms up and away from your body, rotate your lift knee to the left keeping your hips and shoulders still. As you lower your arms, bring your knee back to the front. Do 10-12 reps on each leg with two counts up and two counts down. “During the ceremony think about lengthening the back of your neck so that you look taller, confident, elegant and graceful,” says Zaki. “Avoid locking your knees—release them so that you are able to stand in those cute shoes for hours on end.”
PROBLEM: A pro (or a steady-handed pal) applied perfect makeup in the morning, but it has to last all day.
SOLUTION: Be sure to apply an oil-free moisturizer and a shine free primer before you have your makeup applied. “You don’t want to use a primer every day, because it blocks the pores and can lead to breakouts,” says Keri Ellet, celebrity makeup artist at the Jim Wayne Salon in Beverly Hills, Calif. “But for special occasions, it seals the pores and prevents the makeup from being absorbed into your skin.” Once your makeup is applied, seal it in a matte mineral powder.
PROBLEM: You’ll need a lot of calories and nutrients to get you through the day, but you’re also trying to squeeze into your dress.
SOLUTION: Fill up on lots of lean protein, which will give you long-lasting energy without upsetting your stomach. “It’s not going to hold onto extra water and make you feel puffy and bloated, like fiber may,” says Keri Glassman, owner of Nutritious Life, a nutrition consulting firm in New York City. Have fresh turkey, an egg-white omelet, or hard-boiled eggs.
Be sure to eat enough—no one wants a woozy bride. During the day, snack on edamame or nuts, which will give you a mix of good fat and protein. Berries offer a good mix of fiber and natural sugars, but will stain if you get sloppy, so try some peanut butter on a banana for a similar effect.
PROBLEM: To look perfect in pictures, you need to hold your bouquet high—but it’s heavier than you thought.
SOLUTION: Prepare your biceps, shoulders, glutes, and quads with this move, which will also help your balance and core. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with 5-pound weights in each hand, palms facing away from you. Squat, bringing your elbows to your knees, raising the weights into a bicep curl. Come out of the squat and stand, lifting your heels while extending your arms overhead turning palms away from you. Do these slowly, for three sets of 12.
“While holding your bouquet on your special day, pull your elbows in and be sure to have your hands in line with your elbows,” says Zaki.
PROBLEM: A ceremony full of laughter and tears has left you looking worn out.
SOLUTION: The most important thing you can do to freshen up your makeup is not re-applying your blush or your lipstick, but your under-eye concealer. “Tears, smiling—that’s a lot of wear and tear around your eyes, and it’s really easy to accumulate lines,” says Ellet. Using a Q-tip and makeup remover, remove the morning’s concealer and replaced it with a fresh application mid-day. “Your whole face looks so much fresher if you do that,” Ellet says.
Save some energy for after the big day because that's when the real fun begins. If you get started on it now, the Honeymoon Hot Body workout above will help you look look your best and feel great about your body on your wedding night.
