Weddingbee Blog

“Commit to be fit.”

Working out.

Oof.

When a wedding comes along, we can’t avoid it. The dress, the photos, the video—we all want to look radiant, confident, and healthy on our special day, right?

Growing up, I was the most active, sporty girl you ever met. Always ambitious, Mama Ostrich had me in ballet slippers and jazz and tap shoes the moment I could walk, and sporty Papa O filled our days with tennis drills, batting practice, and interval sprints. The second the end-of-day school bell rang, the pirouettes, forehands, and races began. And I loved every second of it.

Now, to stay in shape, many of us head to stylish gyms with fancy Precor machines and treadmills. The more Zen-minded gals spend their mornings in a perfect standing bow pose. And me? Well, for many years, I was unsatisfied with my workout routine. I joined a too-expensive gym and was suckered into a few months with a personal trainer. I did the whole yoga thing, which I still do find incredibly soothing and gratifying. But I still felt like I was missing something. And after a little reflection, I figured it out. Working out had become a chore. And chores? They’re no fun!

So in the past two years, I’ve put together a fitness regimen that I actually look forward to after a looong day at the office. And with the big day about seven months away, awesome workouts equal a dazzling bride!

So for those of us former athletes and soon-to-be brides that find the gym not so hot, here is my short list of activities that work you out and are super fun.

Just Dance

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With the dance wave sweeping the world as a result of the insane and inspiring dance shows (SYTYCD and ABDC) and flicks (Step Up 3D), you can channel your inner dancer with a fantastic, butt-kicking dance class. Drop-in classes are always an option, and every genre is at your fingertips—super funkdafied hip hop routines, eccentric contemporary steps, whimsical jazz combinations, and dreamy ballet twirls. ODC, Dance Mission, Millennium, and Broadway Dance Center are some of the well known ones in the SF, LA, and NYC areas, but there are amazing dance classes in every town!

And for yours truly, a sassy, hard-hitting hip hop routine is the ultimate feel-good workout…Honey Daniels, watch out!

Raise the Bar

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There’s yoga. There’s pilates. There’s ballet.

Blend them together…and you have The Dailey Method.

Take this 60-minute class, set to a terrific soundtrack, and within a few weeks your body will be sculpted, strong, and oh-so sexy!

Personal Best

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Jen Aniston. Madonna. Gwyneth.

We’re all not-so-secretly envious of their physiques.

And sure, if we were super successful entertainers with Tracy Anderson as our personal trainer, we’d look like a million bucks too, right?

Well, it turns out that we don’t have to have oodles of cash to get trained by their celeb trainer.

Tracy Anderson’s DVD workouts are the real deal. My best gal pal K turned me on to her post pregnancy DVD (but no babies yet!), and after my first session I was sore in muscles I didn’t even know existed. This post-preggers DVD is especially effective because she attacks the tummy with uber intense moves that will give you a blissful bikini bod in no time. And you can grunt and sweat and curse in the privacy of your own home.

Now it’s your turn! Come on, fabulous bees…what are your favorite ways to work it out?