The 4 Essentials to a Healthy Lifestyle

Written with love, by Rebecca Fisher

Planning a wedding is amazing, fun, dreamy, and stressful. You are told that it's "Your Day" at every turn when you're making the decisions to create the wedding of a lifetime! So, yes, make yourself the Bride that has it all together! How is that possible, you ask? 

You must commit to keeping yourself mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally feeling good at all times. 

Appreciation

It starts with waking up and appreciating that you even get to plan your wedding! Think of how many people never find love, or love that allows them to experience the magnificence of the feelings you feel at this moment! Carry that simple appreciation of everything you can notice throughout the day. What will happen? You will be focusing on staying  aware of a beautiful life you've been given and the little things that don't go your way will work themselves out with a positive approach. Life will begin to feel more amazing! Let the magic begin!

Fitness

Fitness and engagement go hand in hand. You need to approach your fit game plan without the feeling of torture or anything that feels negative. This fitness thing doesn't feel easy for everyone. You might not feel athletic at all, so make it fun!

Take a yoga, Zumba, Crossfit or CardioBarre class, or try TRX or kickboxing. I promise you, if you simply take 30 minutes each day and take a brisk walk, in the very least, your physical form will thank you with feeling stronger and more toned and, who knows, sexier? Focus on breathing out the drama of the day. The goal is to get your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes! This will lower the stress hormone, cortisol, which makes you want to snack on all those things that you don't need to snack on! If you don't feel like walking is safe, find a dog that needs walking that can change that! 

Not sure about those ideas? Why not Invite your mom or a friend to join you with a new exercise video that appeals to you in the comfort of your own home. If you end up in a series of belly laughs, what could be better for the psyche and the soul? 

Try something challenging like the P90X or Insanity workouts. Take it one day at a time and reward yourself when you achieve a new level and notice any improvement. Rewards should be all about SelfCare, like a massage or a facial, or even a new pair of workout shoes, just not food related (that is a bad trap!)

Set Your Mind

All you need to remember is you can do whatever you set your mind to do. This includes every part of being a bride. I say this every day about staying fit and choosing fitness as a lifestyle. Life is very mentally challenging at times, and staying inspired is essential.

One of my favorites is Wayne Dyer's "Power of Intention", or "Think a Second Time" by Dennis Prager. Re-think about who you surround yourself with. As I was wedding planning, I was amazed at the twists and turns of how certain "friends" that I placed so high in my heart just fell away with things they did or said to show me they never deserved to hold that spot in my heart. Be courageous and embrace the challenges of this aspect of the experience. Be ready to say goodbye and God bless. 

Water

The last thing is drink more water than you think you can drink in a day! Try to drink 8-10 glasses and plan on using the bathroom a lot but know you are hydrating and replenishing your body, helping you stay on your game, feeling healthy and looking fresh! 

You can do this! Go be the amazing, fit bride you always dreamed of being!

The 5 Musts for a Healthy Bride-to-Be

Written with love, by Leah Bahrencu

Along with the stresses of everyday life, planning a wedding is an added stress that can add on extra pounds.  So from day one you want to not only focus on making your special day the most memorable event EVER, but you also want to make you and your true love look and feel the best ever.  So here are few tips to help you implement healthy into your fun engaged life.

1.      Set Goals!

Set a big goal for yourself. Then break it up that goal into smaller goals.  You want them to be attainable and realistic.  This is the perfect time to create a goal board or just write them out and have them somewhere they can be seen on a daily basis. Not only do you want to have them written down, but deadlines for each of the smaller goals need to be set.

Also, reward yourself for completing your goals.  Do NOT reward yourself with food, but with something that makes you happy...and it doesn’t have to be anything outrageous.  For example, a mani/pedi, a dinner date, a spa day or a day free of chores.   

2.      Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Ladies, this is extremely important.  Not only is water good for weight loss and for general health, but your skin will look amazing if you stay hydrated.  Every day you should drink ½ your body weight in oz. Example: If you weigh 130lbs, you want to drink at least 65oz of water every day.

A great way to make sure you drink enough water daily is carry a water bottle with you.  Keep a log of how many ounces you are drinking throughout the day and make sure you are reaching your goal.

3.      Nutrition!

This is key in helping you stay on top of your goals.  You want to focus on eating clean...food in its most natural state.  Incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into your diet.  Avoid eating as many processed foods as possible and crash or fad diets. You want nutrition to be a part of your lifestyle and those diets usually cause more damage. 

Read ingredient lists on everything.  If you are unsure of an ingredient, you can always look it up. But a good tip is if you can’t pronounce it or you don’t recognize it, it’s a pretty clear indication that food is not good for you and it’s got to go.  So get to your pantry and start reading. 

4.      Exercise is a non-negotiable!

A great way to reduce stress is by exercising.  Getting in at least 30 minutes of activity each day will benefit you not just physically, but emotionally.  Exercise boosts energy levels, relieves stress, and helps keep your body chemicals in balance.  You want to incorporate a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility.  I know on my wedding day, I not only wanted to look amazing but I wanted to feel amazing.  So I made sure I was staying active at least 6 days a week.  You can make your workouts fun and exciting by visiting the outdoors and doing something fun with your significant other.

5.       Take some time to relax!

Between wedding planning, work and your personal life, you get very busy and can feel the pressure of everything weighing down on you.  You want to remember to focus on YOU too.  You want to stay healthy and happy before the big day, so everyday block out one hour just for you.  Do something that isn’t focused on wedding planning, work, or anything else that may cause you stress. During this time, make it something that you enjoy doing whether it’s getting a massage, reading a book, listening to music or doing a hobby.   Make this your time to unwind and enjoy you.

Five Day Meal Plan

Written with love, by Jaime Innis

To go along with Wednesday's article on Mastering the Basics of Health + Fitness, I've created a five day meal plan for each and every single one of you, whether you are a beginner or a novice health expert. I'm hoping this meal plan will be easy to prep and make. To be successful, one must meal prep. It takes time but I promise you, it WILL save you time in the long run.

If you would like to maximize your results with this "5 Day Shred", I highly recommend replacing the smoothies with Shakeology. Email me at coachjaimeglonek@gmail.com so you can get your hands on some!

If you are looking for more easy, healthy meal plans, I would love for your to join my specialized group on Facebook. I run monthly accountability groups and am always looking to add new and positive faces! I love working with individuals on all avenues of health. 

Now who is ready to get started on your journey to a healthier lifestyle with my five day plan?