Time is so limited these days and on top of the normal everyday demands you need extra energy and time for planning your wedding! Carving out time for workouts seems impossible so finding short workouts that will fit into your schedule and at the same time are effective in getting you the results you are looking for; a fit & fabulous “wedding dress ready” body is key! I love saving valuable time and getting a bigger bang for my buck! Spending countless hours at the gym and doing long and boring sessions on the cardio equipment is not necessary or effective in achieving a Bride Fit Body and you don’t have time for that anyway!
There’s tons of evidence that HIIT (high intensity interval training) is more effective in reducing fat than steady state training and an article in Researchgate (a professional network of scientists and researchers) supported that in addition to laying out a SIMPLE plan of action. Get excited about this challenge I’m going to suggest you implement for “releasing fat” because it’s FAST, EFFECTIVE and SIMPLE! Sign me up!
Choose a piece of cardio equipment (elliptical, bike, stair machine, treadmill) and begin with a 3-5 minute warm up. Then start the interval training; one minute of “hard” work followed by 30 seconds of “easy” for 15 rounds. In the article the women followed this routine for six weeks faithfully and lost twelve pounds without changing their eating habits! This is worth an experiment ladies! I think committing to a fat burning session three times per week that is complete in less than 23 minutes is a no brainer.
There are a few points I’d like to make clear:
- Don’t assume doing this workout will give you a “free pass” to eat fake food or eat too much. Stick with the Bride Fit approved diet; abundant in “real food,” which is food as close to the way God created it as possible, free of additives and over-processing. Eat lots of vegetables that are low energy (calories) and high nutrients (vitamins), high quality protein (pastured eggs and chicken, grass-fed beef, hemp hearts, fermented soy) and nutrient dense essential fats (avocados, wild salmon, raw nuts and seeds, coconut meat and oil.)
- Start where you are! Some brides have been working out on a regular basis, some are just getting started and some are in the “thinking about it” stage. I’m not a fan of putting an exact number of pounds to lose since your body composition is the bigger picture. Releasing fat at the same time you are increasing strength may not translate on the scale the way you envision. This all depends on your current percentage of body fat. “Let go” of the number of pounds in your head that you think you need to lose. Instead seek healthy eating and strength and I promise that extra fat will go “bye-bye’s.”
- Get uncomfortable! I’ve been asked by many women why they aren’t seeing results even after all the “gym time” they put in. There are two main reasons for this; not pushing yourself during the “work” interval and eating too many snacks. Wearing a heart rate monitor is a great way to measure if you are working effectively. Sometimes we feel like we are pushing hard but the numbers may tell you that you can work harder! The “hard” interval in the above workout should feel uncomfortable and at the end of the minute you should feel like you really need that 30-second “easy” pace. It’s during those uncomfortable times in life and in the gym that positive growth happens. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!
I like using the Karvonen Formula to determine your target heart rate training zone. Knowing your training zone numbers makes the workout go fast since it gives you something to focus on. You don’t need a heart rate monitor with all the bells and whistles, the basic one is perfect, just make sure you get one with a chest strap.
Let’s take this 6 week challenge together; 3 days per week HIIT (high intensity interval training). 60 seconds of hard work (higher resistance and push like you are trying to win the race) followed by 30 seconds of an easy pace (like the warm up, lower resistance and easy pace) for 15 rounds (22.5 minutes). If you are currently weight/resistance training (using weights, kettlebells, TRX straps) then just add this workout on top of it! Make sure you are drinking plenty of water daily since it will reduce hunger and keep you hydrated. Aim for 100 ounces per day! Keep in mind the scale is a “tool,” not to used to measure the level of punishment or reward you think you deserve based on how “good” or “bad” you have been! Throw out the scale if the numbers cause any stress and go by how your jeans are fitting and what you look like in the mirror. If you do want to keep the scale, then only weigh yourself once a week at the same time. Keep me updated on how you are do with this workout, leave your comments below. For the complete guide to becoming Bride Fit in all areas; body, mind, home and relationship, get started on my program, 12 WEEKS TO A FIT BRIDE.
