I don’t know if it’s just me or if you can relate too, but “exercise regularly” or “live a healthier lifestyle” seems to be on my list of New Year resolutions every. single. year. Why? It’s much easier said than done. However, 2016 is finally here and this is your year, girl! You’re engaged, have a gorgeous wedding dress to fit into, and this is the perfect excuse to kick it into gear. Plus, it's something that you and your fiance can work on together! So whether your goal is to get into a regular exercise routine, drop some major pounds, or just tone up those problem areas, I’ve gathered a list of 11 ways to get you motivated and kickoff that wedding workout routine for the new year!

Wedding Workout Routine: 11 Ways to Get Started & Stay Motivated

1. Be realistic. Think about your goals and what you want to achieve. If you’re not currently working out regularly, it’s probably not practical to shoot for 5-6 days per week. Set goals for yourself that work for you and your lifestyle. If you aren’t a morning person, don’t expect to be at the gym at 5am everyday. If you’re required to take long work lunches, plan to squeeze in a workout over your break.

For instance, I know I’m really bad about working out over the weekend and usually go out to happy hour with friends one night a week. That being said, I shoot for four days a week, usually giving myself rest days on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

2. Write your goals down. Create as many goals as you feel necessary, but again, be realistic about what you plan to achieve. Here are some examples of goals you might want to consider:

1. Lose [# pounds] by [wedding date].
2. Drink [#] glasses of water per day.
3. Exercise for [# of minutes], [#] times per week.
4. Loose [# of inches] in my midsection by [wedding date].
5. Cook [#] homemade meals per week.
6. Fit into a size [#] wedding dress!

Once you’ve decided on the goals you want to work toward, write them down and put them somewhere visible. Whether it’s your vanity, work desk, fridge, or bathroom mirror, you want to be reminded of them everyday so you always remember what it is that you’re working for! You can even have your fiance do weekly check-ins with you to make you feel more accountable!

3. Find inspiration. Luckily, social media offers so much inspiration and motivation to get us off of our butts and onto our feet! Pinterest for example, is filled with motivational quotes, fitness guides, healthy recipes, and more. Create a board (it can be public or private!) and start pinning!

The best part is, they have exercised for every level and lifestyle. If you enjoy spending time in the gym, they have great interval ideas for cardio and weight machines. If you prefer working out at home, they have awesome body resistant training ideas that will really get you sweating!

Instagram is also filled with fitness guru’s and tons of inspiration. Many of them will post short videos of routines and tell you to do each move for X number of seconds for X number of rounds. That way, your routines are always changing and you’ll never get bored!

4. Keep an open mind. It’s really easy to think of working out as a chore, but the more you start to think about it as a lifestyle change, the easier it will become! Plus, if you are able to get your fiance on board with the healthy eating and lifestyle adjustments, it will make the transition that much smoother! You’ve been given one body and one life so it’s time you make the most of it, don’t you think!?

5. Invest in new gear! I’ll admit it, this is one of my favorite parts about jumpstarting my workout regimen. (Any excuse to shop, right!?) But honestly, it’s really a great way to get yourself motivated! Whether you shop the clearance racks at Target or invest in some higher price pieces from Victoria Secret or Nike, you’ll be excited to hop into your new apparel and get moving!

There are definitely going to be days when you can’t make it to the gym or that barre class, so it’s great to invest in a few pieces of exercise equipment for your home. A couple of hand weights, a kettle bell, and an exercise ball can go a long way! Heck, you might even want to think about adding some exercise equipment to your wedding registry.

Oh yes, and don’t forget to pick up a good water bottle! I’m currently obsessed with the water bottles from Blogilates. 

6. Create a kick-butt playlist. There’s not much that motivates me more than a really good set of hyped up songs! Creating a playlist is super key and will really help set the tone of your workout. I personally prefer upbeat, high-energy songs…or anything Beyonce.

Spotify also has tons of awesome pre-made playlists that are great for no matter what type of exercise you’re doing.

7. Set reminders. I’m an evening worker-outer so I have an alarm set on my phone to go off at 6pm every night reminding me to get my butt into gear. Do I occasionally ignore it? Yes, but it always reminds me what I should be doing rather than sitting on the couch can’t help but to feel a bit guilty.

8. Mark your calendar. This is especially perfect since you have a goal that you’re shooting for by a specific date. Use a calendar in your home, on your phone, computer, or whatever (I personally like to print one off specifically for workouts) and keep track of your goals, timelines, workouts, meals, etc. It’s a great way to keep you on track and hold yourself accountable.

9. Grab a friend..or two! It’s so easy to slack off or give up when all you have is yourself to hold accountable. Ask a friend, relative, co-worker, neighbor, or duh...your fiance! if they want to be a part of your fitness journey! Whether you take daily trips to the gym together or simply have weekly check-ins on progress, it makes the whole “getting fit” thing more fun and enjoyable. 

If you want to make it really interesting, start a weightless challenge with your bridesmaids! Have each girl pitch in $10-20, submit their starting weights to you, and determine the length of time you want the contest to run for. Create a secret group on Facebook and use it to share recipes, coordinate fitness classes, share favorite exercise videos, etc. Each week, they can check in with their progress. At the end of the challenge, everyone will submit their final weights and the winner will be based on their percentage lost. The prizes can be anything from a fun exercise inspired basket, gift card, credit toward a membership, etc. Just remember to make it fun and motivational!

10. Mix up your routine. What’s the one thing that so many of us are fearful of? Change! But when it comes to working out, it’s actually really necessary! Your body gets bored of doing the same workouts over and over again and over time, they become somewhat ineffective. Make sure you’re doing cardio AND weights. Use different machines. Go for a run outside. Play a game of tennis. Try yoga, bootcamp, barre, and cycling classes. Do a dance video on youtube. Tell your fiance that if he/she goes to a class that you're really interested, you'll try something new that they're really into! There are so many ways to mix up your routine, there’s no way that you or your body should ever get bored!

11. Reward your success. In the beginning, it’s as simple as recognizing that you did something great for your body and feeling great about the progress you’ll soon be making.

As the big day approaches, it’s great to make checkmarks on your calendar marking 90 days, 60 days, 30 days, etc. to your end date. Use these as guides to celebrate your success and progress. Whether you give yourself a pat on the back, buy a new tank top, or reward yourself with an indulgent meal, it’s a great way to acknowledge all of the hard work you’ve put in.

My Favorite Fitness Gurus

I absolutely love following fitness gurus on Instagram, Pinterest, and even Facebook. I find their posts to be motivating, fun, and are great for diversifying my fitness routine. To get you started, I wanted to share some of my favorites with you! Check them out:

Tone It Up - A young, fun, and super cute pair of beach babes that do everything from cardio, yoga, HIIT, total body training, etc. They offer free recipes, advice, have an amazing community of supportive followers, and you can also join their 8-week Tone It Up Challenge for exclusive workouts and meal plans that will get you into gear!

Blogilates - With a focus around pilates, Cassey also includes a variety of workouts that can easily be done at home. We website also includes meal plans, recipes, printables, and a variety of 30-day challenges to get you started!

Alexa Jean Fitness - Alexa proves that even mama’s can be in the most amazing shape. Almost all of her workouts are done at home (with the help of her adorable daughter, of course) and focus on body-resistance training. She offers a range of fitness ebooks that focus on different problem areas so you can hone it and get those trouble spots taken care of!

Kayla Itsines - Probably one of the most well-known fitness gurus in the game, Kayla’s rock hard abs come from hard work and an extremely healthy lifestyle. She’s best known for her Bikini Body Guides that have transformed thousands of girls nationwide.

Tips for Ordering Your Wedding/Bridesmaid Dress When Losing Weight

1. Always order your dress based on your size at the time of ordering. TRUST me on this one, please! It’s so much easier to take a dress in than it it so let out. Of course your consultant believes that you’re trying to lose weight, but what if something happens and the weight just doesn’t come off? Ordering the size 8 when you’re really a size 14 is a very risky move and not one that I’d want to risk, especially for a day as important as this!
2. Look at size charts. Believe it or not, they make these things for a reason. Not every designer is going to be the same to make sure to have your measurements professionally taken and then refer to the size chart to see what size you should order. If the dress is completely fitted, go with your overall largest measurement. If the dress is only fitted through the waist and then is flowing or poofs out, go with the largest measurement between your bust and waist.

Let’s Chat!

Are you planning to start a wedding workout routine to gear up for the big day? What’s more your style? Group classes, at-home exercises, healthy eating habits, etc.? Leave a comment below and let us know what steps you’re taking to tackle this resolution!