How to Shape Up For Your Wedding Day

If you’re newly engaged, you know the wedding day is ALL about the bride! Looking to shape up for your wedding? We have some great workout tips on how to look absolutely fabulous in your gown! What you want: A sleek, smooth torso for even the slinkiest sheath.

The Twist

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Imagine holding a ball in between your thighs. Squeeze your thigh muscles, then pull in your belly and tuck it under your pelvis (so you’re in a slight sitting position). Lace your fingers together and place your hands behind your head.

2. Keeping your chest high, slowly twist from side to side without moving your lower body, so that your upper body turns from facing left to facing right. Keep it slow — you won’t get the full benefit if you’re relying on momentum. Repeat 40 times. Yep, you heard us right — 40!

Standing Side Crunch

1. Stand in the same position as you did for the twist, with your abs tucked in and your toes facing front (but drop the imaginary ball!).

2. Lift your left knee toward your left arm bringing your elbow down to meet it. Hold, then return to the starting position. Repeat it on the right and do a total of 20 repetitions on each side.

What you want: Toned triceps, biceps, and pectorals to really strut your strapless stuff.

Bicep Curls

1. Standing with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, pull your tummy in and tuck your pelvis under. Hold a heavier pair of dumbbells down at your sides with your palms facing front.

2. Keeping your elbows at your sides, slowly curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders. Reverse direction and lower the dumbbells into starting position — avoid locking your elbows. Do 10 repetitions per set. Slow and steady wins the race here — you’ll get a bigger benefit from the exercise if you use concentrated, controlled movements. If you feel like you’re whipping the weights around to get them up, your dumbbells are too heavy. Downgrade to a smaller weight so you can move more comfortably.

Flat Dumbbell Fly

1. Lie down with your knees bent and your feet firmly planted shoulder-width apart. Stretch out your arms on the floor so your body makes a T. Grasp a dumbbell in each outstretched hand, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Keep your palms facing up towards the ceiling.

2. Slowly raise the weights upward in a rounded arc (as if you were hugging a tree!), gently touching the dumbbells together at the top above your body. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower the weights back to their starting positions. Do 10 repetitions per set.

Tricep Dips

1. Sit normally on a sturdy, nonwheeled chair. Place your hands on the front edge of the seat (fingertips facing front) and your feet on the floor, hip-width apart and a little bit ahead of you. Slowly slide your bottom off the seat of the chair, keeping your hands where there are.

2. Keeping your arms close to your body, bend your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, allowing your rear end to descend past the edge of the chair. Using your arms to lift you, reverse direction and push yourself back up to the point at which your arms are straight. Work up to 15 dips per set.