The Wedding/Summer How-To Game Plan

I’ve had quite a few of you out there in blogging land emailing me asking for tips on how to get in shape for the summer, how to get fit for your upcoming wedding, etc. Obviously, my game plan is now back in high gear to drop the pregnancy pounds as soon as possible, so I thought I would try to hit some of the high points to making any lifestyle change a successful one. And yes, I am going to be 100% honest with where I am at and my progress…hoping this can pep up others, too!  

a. Set Goals. You need to establish what you’re looking to achieve with weight loss/muscle tone/etc. Before my wedding, I knew I wanted to lose a few pounds, but for the most part, I wanted to lean out the muscle I had and work on refining my arms, midsection, and legs.
Now, my goal is to refine/tone everything…yes, I said everything, with a focus on my legs, thighs, and booty as this is where I gained most of my baby weight.

I cannot believe I am going to share this, but here are a few pictures of me pre-workout aka what my body looks like now {5 weeks post delivery}…I’m currently at 127 pounds and I am wanting to get back down around 118-120=my happy weight.

b. Count the Calories. This is the number #1 thing to do to figure out exactly what may be inhibiting your weight loss-you can burn hundreds of calories by doing lengthy sessions of cardio, yet if you don’t know exactly what is going into your body, you won’t be able to figure out what you need to eliminate to lose that pesky weight. For me (given my BMI, height, starting weight, etc) I normally stick to about 1400-1500 calories a day, broken down by 3 small meals and 2 snacks, which helps to keep the metabolism going! {Also, keep in mind, this number is a bit higher for me right now since I am breastfeeding and need additional calories, so it’s most like 1800-2000 calories}.
A great way to find out whow many calories you need to be consuming to lose weight is here.

c. The Workouts. During operation “think wedding skinny”, I worked out about 4 times per week. The people at the Y loved seeing me so much, I am sure of it. Typically, I would run 3-4 miles on the treadmill (rotating between a 5.5 and a 6.5 pace), and would mix that with strength training with light weights (5, 8, and 10 pound weights depending on each exercise) 2 days per week. Before AND after each workout, I would do 5-10 minutes of stretching to keep muscles loose, and I always finished with a 10-15 minute ab workout…yes, I know this sounds like a lot, but once I got the hang of it, my gym trips lasted right about 1 hour.
Currently, my workouts connsist of running 2 miles on the treadmill, doing my normal ab routine, and lifting weights…right at about 45 minutes at the gym. I cannot wait until CC can go to the gym nursery so I won’t have to be so rushed and she can have some playtime, too.

d. The Other Stuff. To really see a difference, you must be willing to make big changes. I limit myself to a few alcoholic beverages per week, and when I do drink, I consume low calorie/low sugar drinks-SkinnyGirl Margaritas, champagne, red wine, light beer, etc. However, I do admit, I let myself indulge and I allow myself to have a sweet or two each week-nothing crazy, but a sugar free popsicle or frozen yogurt every so often. Don’t deprive yourself!

e. Dress the Part. Part of the motivation to workout is to look good while doing it. Spend some of your hard earned money on some flattering {yet still comfortable} workout clothes…this really helps me when I get in a lull. Even better, you don’t have to spend your entire paycheck on a new wardrobe. I buy most of my tanks, sports bras, and shorts/skorts from Target and Old Navy…moderatley priced, fun colors, and the fit is fantastic!

f. The Most Important Detail. Stay hydrated! Sure, we all love our addictive drinks-coffee, tea, sodas, etc-but the most essential thing we can do for our bodies is to drink plenty of the good stuff, H2O! You should be drinking between 8-10 glasses a day so arm yourself with a great water bottle and keep refilling it!

All in all, my best advice is to get on a routine, and log each and every thing you eat and drink into a food/drink journal. I use the My Fitness Pal on my iPhone and it really helps to keep me accountable. I also recommend not eating late night (7pm should be the latest you eat dinner unless it’s a special occasion), and try to eat smaller portions-after all, restaurant dishes are likely double what you should be consuming anyways.
I promise you, this isn’t rocket science…it’s learning to eat differently, working out to be healthy and fit, and knowing the end result is worth a little sweat. Having a goal in mind to work towards is something that also keeps us on track-for me, it’s fitting into my new bathing suit {seen below from VS} for our beach trip in May, which is a mere 20 days away!

I hope this answers some of the lingering questions a few of you have had. I am an open book so if you ever need advice, support, or other suggestions, I am here to help…good luck my friends!