All For That Bridal Blush

Having 12 years of experience in the field of nutrition and diet counselling, health and lifestyle coach, Dr Archana Batra believes that a tailored health routine packed with balanced nutritional diets and workout sessions, is all that a would-be bride needs for that gorgeous glow on her dream day. Here she spills the beans on the beauty secrets all future brides must know by heart.

- Sushmita Srivastav

What’s the first and foremost fitness tip you’d like to give to our brides-to-be?

I’d like to start with two words–plan ahead! Often, women come all stressed out just a month before their weddings with too many expectations. That’s just not the right way to go about it. Make realistic goals and invest enough time to achieve them. Give your body and mind at least three months to prep for your special day, and pen down all your fitness goals along with deadlines. However, staying fit doesn’t just limit to the body, you must feel emotionally fit for this new journey of your life too. So make sure to keep your stress levels under check.

What exercise routine a future bride must follow?

Well, forming a routine might sound hard but it’s quite simple, really. Figure out your problem areas and start the exercise programme early–giving the entire routine at least 12 weeks to work is a wise idea. There are many reasons why you must start early; you have ample time to get into that perfect fit of your dream wedding dress, and more time means less stress, and more glowing skin. Research says that strength training can take from few weeks to even a month’s time to tone up your muscles.

Once you are set to start, take help of a personal trainer or make your own personalised workout depending upon your schedule and the focus areas. Make sure to include both cardio and strength training in your exercise. You may add HIIT (high intensity interval training) or a form of dance to the list to make it more fun but there has to be two days a week dedicated to strength training or resistance exercise sessions. But remember, no heavy weights for arms as that may make them bulkier.