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This is it… The final countdown to your big day. And along with settling those last few details — figuring out where to seat your eccentric Uncle Carl, firming up the flowers, deciding on your first dance song — you’re likely also making one last push to make sure the body that will be wearing that gorgeous white gown looks as good as it possibly can. You and nearly every other woman with an engagement ring on her finger. In fact, research shows that an overwhelming 91 percent of brides-to-be are anxious about their weight. But from here on out, you won’t have to be!
Whether you want to drop those last few pounds or look more toned — or both — we’ve got a month’s worth of daily tips (none of which require starving yourself or working out nonstop!) that will help you feel stunning and confident when you walk down that aisle. You know where to send the thank-you card. Let’s get started!
Day 1: Switch Up Your Strength Routine
Why are we suggesting you rock the boat on day one of our challenge? Because odds are you’ve been doing the same moves for months — and here’s the thing…the human body is supremely good at adapting to whatever crunches or squats we throw at it, and after about 4 to 6 weeks, you’re going to stop getting results.
“It’s one of the biggest mistakes I see women making,” says Beverly Hills-based celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson, who famously got Kim Kardashian ready for her wedding to Kanye West. “You’ve got to keep shaking things up!”
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He recommends swapping in multi-muscle exercises that target several groups at the same time — like woodchops, squats with a shoulder press, and lunges with a biceps curl. “They give you much more bang for your buck because they work your upper and lower body muscles, as well as your core at the same time, so you’ll burn more calories and get more done in less time than if you were standing there just doing biceps curls,” he says. “You’ll also build more lean tissue which you want because it will not only change your shape and make you look more defined, it also drives metabolism, so you’ll burn calories at a faster rate all day, every day.”
Click here to check out some of Peterson’s multi-muscle exercises.