From bingo wings to double chins, these easy-to-follow wedding exercise tips and beauty tips will help you tone up trouble spots in time for you to enjoy your wedding day!
Chin – Make that double a single
Whatever the neckline of your gown, you’ll want to shape up your neck and chin. But while a weight loss programme and exercise routine will tone up the rest of the body, it can be hard to shift a flabby double chin or tone up a saggy neck.
Simple exercises will soon tighten under-worked muscles and the easiest way to complete these is to pull exaggerated facial expressions, to chew gum or raw vegetables or to slap the under-chin area for 1-2 minutes several times a day.
Check your posture, too, as straightening your spine, standing tall and holding your head up will naturally tone up the facial muscles and create the illusion of a swan-like neck!
Arms – Wave ‘bye bye’ to bingo wings
Unless your gown has sleeves, your upper arms are set to be on full display, so make them slim and sexy with simple push-ups (try kneeling if you find this easier) or this repetitive lifting exercise for a quick tone up: holding a can of baked beans or a bottle of water in each hand, bend the arm at the elbow, raise the hand to shoulder level, hold, then slowly lower. Repeat 10 times for each arm and do it regularly to see the best results
Beauty comes from within, so be sure to have a healthy diet to partner your exercise regime!
Swimming is another great arm-toner but if lengths and laps are too boring, try jogging in the water – it’ll burn more calories than on land, particularly if you incorporate resistance in the form of aquatic mitts or dumbbells, and it’s miles more sociable, too. Take your girls along and enjoy it together!
Bust – Pump up your hot curves
Without proper support, even the most perfectly fitted strapless gown can cause pockets of fat to bulge at the armpits, cleavage and across the back, so the right bra is the first step towards perky-looking boobs.
Visit a large department store or ask your bridal boutique for a recommendation then pick your wedding day lingerie carefully with a trained and experienced bra fitter. They’ll help you choose the best style and correct size for your curves.
A tone up of the pectoral muscles that support the breasts is just as easy with swimming, dancing and aerobics, while exercises using light to medium weight dumbbells (3-5kg) are the simple at-home solution for brides on a budget.
Beware of your bra straps too, if they’re too tight, it’ll leave you with marks on your shoulders – not a good look in those wedding pictures!
Waist – Cinch in at your smallest part
Wishing for a washboard stomach in time for your wedding day? Toning a wobbly tummy is easier than expected with a little-and-often approach incorporating stomach crunches and push-ups, both of which will work effectively to whip abdominal muscles into shape.
If you struggle to get motivated, a workout DVD or CD created especially to target the tummy area should keep you focused. You can incorporate sport training, too, with trampolining, horse riding and aerobics as great boredom-busting tummy-toners. And you can keep up the pace even when sitting in front of the TV with pelvic floor exercises and simply holding in your tummy to keep the muscles working. And remember, if it doesn’t ache, then you probably didn’t do it properly!
If you’re more of a social exerciser, get the girls round and do a yoga video in your lounge,fun, sociable and good for you!
Thighs – Crease out those dimples
Notoriously difficult to shift, yet tricky to disguise beneath a slinky satin wedding dress, cellulite on the thighs may respond well to dry body brushing. It can really help to stimulate circulation and improve lymphatic drainage; upping your water intake should also give things a boost.
Walking, running and swimming are great for transforming thighs from lumpy to luscious or, if time is on your side, yoga and pilates will help to strengthen the thigh muscles and will also improve posture and bust any pre-wedding stress.
A step class is sociable but for the cheaper and easier alternative simply use your stairs at home: 10 minutes a day, altetrnating each leg and using the lowest step with the banister for balance, will strengthen thigh muscles and also give more shapely calves.
Equally, running up and down the stairs is a good workout.
Bum – From podgy to peachy!
During the ceremony, everyone will be looking at your behind so give them a decent view with a toned bottom that’ll give your gown a better shape and structure.
Squats are hard work but can be performed quickly just about anywhere and work best in sets of three, holding for 10 seconds at a time, repeated several times a day.
Bad at balancing? Place your back against a wall for support. On lazy days or for faster results, throw in some squeezes: tighten the buttock muscles, hold for 5-10 seconds, then release and repeat until tired or bored. This is a great exercise and a stealthy tone up to try out while you’re walking around bridal stores shopping for your big-day essentials!
