Here’s something I haven’t talked about yet: health. All things considered, I am a pretty healthy person. Of course, this is very important if you want to look good, and I mean really good, on your wedding day. You want to glow, not look like you had a crash diet and are about to devour the wedding cake. So, what do I do?
Goals, Weight, and Being Realistic. First off, let me say that I weigh about 120 pounds. It fluctuates, but 120 is pretty average these days. The first thing you want to do when you decide to get healthy is figure out a good weight for yourself. If I want to starve myself, I can easily be 100 pounds. However, that would not look good. At all. Some girls of my height (4’11”) have the slight, waifish frame to pull that off; I do not. I need my curves. Once you embrace a healthy weight, it is much easier to stay there. I know that my body likes to be about 120 pounds, as it has stayed near that for the past several years. (There have been times that I’ve been closer to 130, but I also realized that I couldn’t allow myself to sit around and eat chocolate, as much as I would love to.) So, set a goal. Since I don’t want to look like a skeleton (and I think only anorexia would get rid of my big mama thighs!), my goal is to lose inches and not pounds. This comes from exercising, with a focus on toning, and by eating right. I have a pretty good habit of snacking on healthy things (such as carrots and peanut butter), but I don’t ban myself from anything. If I want chocolate, I’ll have chocolate, but only a piece. If I had a reasonably healthy breakfast and lunch (ok, maybe I ate too many Frosted Mini Wheats!) I won’t beat myself up if I have a burger for dinner. For me and my body, it’s about moderation and balance. I don’t need to lose weight, but I do need to be careful that I don’t indulge too often (which is sooooo easy to do). (Note: obviously if I needed to lose weight, this would be a different story. But I’ve been doing pretty well.)
Getting Fit. I try to exercise at least three times a week. I go to Pilates and two all-over body toning classes at my gym, and each class is one hour long. This is done on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with my little sister/MOH, The Koala. On Mondays I like to work out at home and watch Bones (which TOTALLY makes working out from home worth it!). I have a small weight set and an old stationary bike. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are up in the air- if I work out then great. If I don’t, well, I don’t worry about it. Balance, remember? I am doing exercises that are the most effective. NEWS FLASH: You don’t have to do and hour of cardio every day, followed by an hour of weights! By taking the classes that give me a full, and fun, work out, I am targeting areas I may miss by sticking to the same routine. I have also learned moves that I can do easily at home. That, coupled with some research, has let me develop a routine that is fun, varied, and shows results. Why classes? Because health shouldn’t be a solo thing. You need motivation from others who are also on the journey toward health. It’s also fun: I go with my sister, which is great, and one the instructors is a riot. He is Hispanic, with a thick accent so half the time you don’t know what he’s saying, and he likes to sing to the music and tells you to stick your booty out. It’s also gratifying to leave a workout all sweaty, knowing that the people around you feel like you do: stinky, but happy. Plus, the instructors get to know you. Both of my instructors know I have a wedding in June, and they are confident that by then I will be in super shape. Another cool thing? Last week my sister and I had stood at the front of a class, and we were both used to demonstrate exercise moves. NOTHING motivates you to do an exercise well and correctly than showing 20 other people how to do it.
The face, the face. I started going to a dermatologist a while ago, and I am glad I did. The products and pills I take may cost more than other products, but they are great. I rarely break out, and Olay’s products are good for the cleaning and moisturizing part of my daily regimen. I am confident that, since I have something that works right now, I won’t have to worry about my face breaking out or getting blotchy or being dry on my big day. With so many other things to worry about, this is one less thing! Gotta love it.
So, my top tips in summary: Exercise. Set a reasonable goal. Take care of yourself. Start now, to develop good habits.
Oh, and if you’re going to indulge, don’t regret it. Otherwise, what’s the point? It’s an indulgence, not a sin.
No comments:
Post a Comment