I decided to write this article because I feel losing weight and getting in shape after having a baby have lots of similarities. When you’re getting married..you want to push to look your best in your wedding dress and feel amazing, after having a baby..you have probably gained the baby weight  (for me it was a lot!) and want to feel amazing again..just like you did on your big day! 🙂 I had a baby 11 months ago and have been working hard on getting myself in the best shape ever and also losing the weight. Everyone loses weight different…for me it has been watching what I eat.. cutting out carbs and eating a ton of fresh fruits, veggies and proteins! I have used meal replacement shakes (shakeology) for one meal a day.. and I also started juicing along the way too. I go to the gym 3-4 days a week where I do yoga, the elliptical and run on the treadmill. So far I have lost all the baby weight (I gained over 65 pounds this pregnancy on my 5 ft 3 frame!) and now am just feeling amazing and the best I have ever felt! It was not that hard because I enjoy it! I think my favorite part is yoga and the serenity it gives me, although running on the treadmill makes me feel so alive!

Anyhow, moral of my story..is that I want my brides to have that same excitement about themselves on their wedding day and it is easier than you think! How you lose the weight and get into shape is highly individual and what works for others may not work for you. You have to find your niche and go with that. Some of my friends love step or zumba classes, whereas I really just love my yoga and some cardio and that’s enough for me. You need to find a good fit for you!

How you feel on your wedding day about yourself is so important. You really want your confidence to shine through and when that happens…you will just glow from the inside and your smile will feel so genuine and that internal beauty will shine as well as the gorgeous bride you will be on the outside!Since I have had such success with yoga and cardio,.I am going to talk about that and give you some great tips, hopefully it will help you!

Yoga

Practicing yoga yields a myriad of benefits, ranging from an increase in flexibility to weight loss in the long run. “Yoga is a good way to elongate muscles that become contracted during other forms of physical activity or due to long periods of inactivity,” Sabu explains. “It also increases the range of motion and lubrication in our joints, which results in a sense of ease and fluidity throughout the body.” Practicing yoga also helps improve muscle tone and strength because you learn how to carry your weight while executing the poses. No external weights are used during the workout, making it perfectly safe for individuals with sports or any form of injuries to rehabilitate and strengthen their bodies without further injuring themselves.

Regular practice of yoga also results in an alert and calm mind. “Yoga is the only exercise, aside from Pilates, that allows blood to flow towards the head and brain through inversion poses such as the downward facing dog or standing forward bend,” Sabu reveals. “This rejuvenates the mind while building upper body strength and improving flexibility in the lower back and legs.” The breathing techniques you learn during yoga will also help in quietening your mind to relieve stress – a skill that will definitely come in handy during your stressful wedding planning.

Just because yoga is a low-impact workout that comprises mostly of stretching and breathing techniques doesn’t mean it doesn’t aid in weight loss. Higher intensity forms of yoga such as Vinyasa and Hot Yoga is great for weight loss as it keeps the body in constant motion to build up the cardiovascular system while simultaneously stretching and toning the muscles. “As compared to running or other high intensity exercises, yoga is a more complete workout because it works the cardiovascular system while stretching and toning the muscles – the 3 criteria every complete workout is made up of,” Sabu shares. For optimum results, try a combination of Hot, Vinyasa and Sun Salutation Yoga lessons if you’re a veteran yoga practitioner. For beginners, it is advisable to start with a basic Hatha Yoga class to learn the fundamentals before advancing into more challenging classes.

Certain yoga poses such as the plank, boat and triangle poses are especially helpful in firming up the mid-section, waistline and arms. The plank pose and its variations requires you to support your body weight using your arms and core muscles, thereby strengthening and firming up these areas. The boat pose is especially useful in toning the upper thighs and mid-section while the triangle pose and its variations stretches the side muscles and targets the waistline. Maximise your practice by keeping your core muscles engaged by tucking in your belly during every yoga pose for a trim and fit waistline.

Running

Benefits

There are many methods of exercising to lose weight, but using a treadmill can be a particularly wise choice due to its many advantages. One of the most significant advantages is its convenience. Commercial treadmills are available for purchase so you can use one in your home, making for highly convenient workouts. Treadmill running at home allows you to escape from having to fight bad weather running outside or investing time commuting to and from the gym. Treadmills also offer more precision than running outside, as you will be able to gauge your speed, distance and number of calories burned each workout. Running on a treadmill for weight loss also allows you to multitask — or distract yourself — by reading a book or watching TV during your workout.