Bridal Workout: Interview with Bonne Marano

Tell us about Bridal Workouts

Fit To Be Tied Bridal Workout is a one-on-one personal training and conditioning program designed to get brides-to-be into the best shape of their lives.

Brides can choose from 3 different fitness packages that include a complimentary membership to my web site Fit To Be Tied Online and a copy of my book, The Complete Bride's Workout Guide.

What is involved in the private consultation?

Before the consultation I send out a history and goal setting form. Upon my review we set up an appointment. I consult with my bride, perform an evaluation (measurements, etc.) and we do a workout .Throughout the workout I ask for feedback and make any adjustments necessary.

Can you share some tips with our readers about choosing wedding gowns to fit their body types?

While I am not a wedding dress expert, I believe the right dress should flatter your best physical features and artfully camouflage those parts a bride is less than proud of but that's what I'm here for.

My bridal workout program is an overall, complete fitness program however I do focus a little more on the parts my bride deems less than desirable.

For brides who do not participate in a bridal workout program I have designed the target training guide on my web site www.fittobetiedonline.com. It is separated by upper body exercises and lower body exercises as they pertain to style of gown, for example.:

• The spaghetti strap and halter top dress put the focus on arms and shoulder
• The low back open style puts the focus on the back and shoulders
• For a sweetheart neckline you'll want the bust to rise to the occasion
• The strapless is all about upper body, shoulders, arms and chest.
• For a sheath puts the focus on the thighs and abs and the form fitted is about the butt and gut (abs and glutes)

How long do you work with a bride-to-be?

Anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months depending upon her specific needs.

What tips can you offer women who would like to get into shape for their wedding?

• Take a fitness inventory. It’s not enough to say "I need to get in shape", the bride needs to know exactly what about her is not in shape. The sort of exercise a bride should do should be compatible with her ability. A fitness program should support, not distract her from her goals.
• Set realistic goals. Use your "baseline" measurements from your inventory to help select some realistic and motivating goals. Expecting to drop 20 pounds and four dress sizes in one month is not only unrealistic it's dangerous. Goals
• Remember To stay motivated: Because the wedding is an event you remember for a lifetime, looking your best is reason enough to get in shape. A photographer will provide enough pictures to remind you of that day. A bride doesn't want to catch herself years later saying, "I can't believe I was ever that thin!" To stay motivated before the "I-do's" and long after the last grain of rice is thrown, evaluate your current workout. It is always easier to make time for things we enjoy, so be creative. Exercise doesn't have to be a chore. Brides should ask themselves the following questions: Does my present workout excite me? Does it include strength training? Maybe substitute an hour on the treadmill with a Step or Spinning class. Hiring a personal trainer is a fails safe way of staying motivated.

What are some common mistakes made by dieting brides before the wedding?

Waiting too late to start their programs and engaging in unhealthy practices like skipping meals or taking diet pills or worse starving themselves. In order to lose the approximately 10 pounds needed to get from say a size 8 to a size 6, a bride-to-be needs to allow for at least 3-4 months. Safe weight loss is essential and losing more than 2-pounds week is not healthy

Tell us about The Complete Bride's Workout Guide

The Complete Bride's Workout Guide is a bride's portable personal trainer. It is written in an easy-to-use wedding planner format and includes

• All the bridal basics; The trinity of fitness; cardio, strength and flexibility
• Pre-nuptial Fitness Plan; Workouts for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced

Charts and illustrations that explain the exercises

• A workout journal
• Pre Nuptial Nutrition Plan
• Fitness solutions for wedding planning anxiety… and much, much more.

The Complete Bride's™ Workout Guide promotes time-tested principles of exercise and diet that can be followed long after the honeymoon is over.

Any last bit of advice you wish to offer?

Some general thoughts and tips I give my brides:

• Exercise helps relieve the stress associated with planning a wedding. The invitations went out late? Take a cardio kickboxing class. Are your in-laws giving you grief about the seating arrangements? Try yoga. While exercise doesn't solve every problem, it does help you endure pre-wedding jitters.

• Exercise tones the body, helping you to lose body fat, while gaining muscle mass. People who workout moderately, enjoy 5 to 7 % less body fat than people who say they should work out, but never do. Going down a size and making sure your dress is tight in the RIGHT places all make regular exercise worth it.

• Work out with your fiancé, both before and after the nuptials. While you may not always share the same interests, physical health and fitness are universal

More LoveToKnow Wedding Interviews

• Interview with Joyce Scardina Becker, Author & Wedding Planner
• Interview with Sharon Naylor, Author of The Bride's Gratitude Journal
• Interview with Jasmine Bojic, Pastry Chef at Tavern on the Green
• Interview:The Weather Channel's Wedding Weather Expert: Jen Carfagno
• Ask the Expert: Sharon Naylor

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