Seven GOOD reasons to workout leading up to the Wedding Day

It is common to see women increase their physical activity in the months leading up to their wedding day, and you know I love to see people getting active. It makes me sad, though, to think that the newfound desire for fitness tends to be more focused on how the brides (or bridesmaids or mothers of the bride/groom – notice how it’s all the women?) look than on how they feel.

The truth of the matter is that everyone involved in the wedding could benefit from using the planning period (all 3-12 months of it) to pay attention to their health and fitness, and here are some reasons why…

Seven good reasons to workout leading up to the Wedding Day (for everyone, not just the bride) that have nothing to do with size:

• Improved stamina: you’ll be standing, dancing, and doing A LOT on the big day, so focusing on both cardio and strength training in the months beforehand makes a lot of sense.

• Stronger core: Weddings come with presents, travel, and sometimes moving into a new home. Give some specific attention to your core muscles to prep your body for all the lifting to come. 
• Stronger Immune System: The last thing you want on your wedding day is a case of the sniffles! Regular moderate intensity exercise puts you in a good position to fight off bugs to keep yourself healthy.  
• Improved flexibility: A more flexible body is less prone to injury, and you want to be in tip-top shape for the pre-wedding festivities through to the end of the honeymoon. Incorporate yoga and general stretching several months before The Day for the best results.

• Positive Body Image/Self-Esteem: Regardless of any physical changes that may come, working out leaves you feeling good about yourself – the perfect way to be when you’re posing for all those pictures. 

• Lower Blood Pressure: It can take a lot of work to make a wedding day perfect. Take some stress off your system by doing cardio training – it will help you start off with a lower blood pressure. 
• Live Longer: Making fitness a habit now can help you lead a longer life – more days with your sweetheart sounds pretty great, right?

This is an exciting time for everyone, and the healthier you all are the more you’ll be able to enjoy every last moment. Better yet? The work you do leading up to the wedding can be the start of a life-long habit.

Spring/Summer 2015 - Achievaloutions

I added a jar to each classroom on our first day of classes in January and declared them our Achievaloutions Jars. Students and visitors are encouraged to add notecards with their Achievaloutions (things they feel good about having done) throughout each month. This series will share all of the Acheivaloutions in hopes of inspiring you to do good things AND notice them when you do!





Spring/Summer 2015  - Achievaloutions

1. “I came to a bellydance class!” – Margaret
2. “Biceps!” - Anonymous
3. “Went a full day without make-up, yikes!” – Tracy
4. “Completed a 4-day cleanse which got me back on healthy eating track.” – Maike
5. “I’ve been remembering to feed my dog.” – Yvette
6. “Changed up my hair.” – Maike
7. “I designed a coloring book! It was my reward for doing my taxes successfully! Also I hated doing taxes.” - Anonymous
8. “Signed up for a TV show. We’ll see if I get in.” - Anonymous
9. “I have gone just over 2 weeks with out alcohol!” - Anonymous
10. “I lost a pound! I was on ‘the way up’ for months. Now, I’m  ‘on my way down’.” - Anonymous
11. “Emiire shimmy” - Anonymous
12. “I am no longer afraid of choreography.” – Catherine
13. “I woke up!” – Zinta
14. “I bought a new canvas and am ready to start painting.” - Anonymous
15. “I turned 13!” – Aoife
16. “With this very card, I moved a big, nasty spider outside for Malik. Also, I kept my weights up for the two arm songs in Moxie Boxing, Woot!” - Anonymous
17. “ Cleaned my room.” - Anonymous
18. “Washing dishes.” – Cecelia
19. “I ran twice this week.” - Anonymous
20. “I got pass a level that is really hard.” – A message from RJ
21. “My encaustic collages will be at creative co-working!” – Maike Marvels J
22. “I finished a goal.” – Sammi
23. “I got to the final round in Desafio.” - Anonymous
24. “Retagged all my inventory for RAW on Thursday.” – Maike
25. “I started soccer.” - Anonymous
26. “I was invited to write & perform a script for Steppenwolf Theatre.” - Anonymous
27. “Started a new painting this week.” - Anonymous
28. “I baked a banana bread with my daughter.” - Anonymous
29. “I learned a new dance.” - Anonymous
30. “I built a puppet show. I love it.” – Somach
31. “Made it into the studio.” – Donna
32. “Made great connections last Thursday. Had a fabulous RAW Chicago event.” - Anonymous
33. “Organized all my clothing!” – Catherine
34. “Made and posted more Mother’s Day creations on Etsy.” – Maike’s Marvels
35. “Today I enjoyed my evening belly dancing and having fun meeting new ladies. Thanks Malik.” – Talaya
36. “Enjoyed a fabulous Ladies Night out at Hip Circle w/ Noktivo Spa and Rebecca Sturgeon massage.” - Anonymous
37. “I made varsity!” - Anonymous
38. “I had a Bat Mitzvah and became a Jewish adult!” –Ronni
39. “Attended a fantastic Hip Circle Anniversary Party!” –All Hip Circle regulars J
40. “I was a keynote speaker!” –Donna
41. “Two Moxie Boxing sessions this week!” –Anonymous
42. “Had a fabulous critique workshop with Fusto Chicago.” – Anonymous
43. “I rescued really dark videos and made them viewable!” – Malik
44. “I cleaned up the yard to get ready for warm weather.” – Anonymous
45. “Yesterday I was a guest on “RU Famous Yet?” –Roberta
46.  “Made keychains with See Jane Sparkle at the Zumba fitness party.” - 5 lucky Hip Circlers
47. “I got 109 coloring books printed, stamped up so the covers look nice, and bundled with 4 colored pencils each, color scheme optimized for maximum variety per bundle!” – Anonymous
48. “Woke up at 8:00am, but still made it to Moxie Boxing – whoo hoo!” –Anonymous
49. “I recorded my monologue at Steppenwolf this morning.” – Roberta
50. “Hip Circle membership!” –Maggie
51. “I did not freak out (very much) for a blood test!” –Melissa
52. “Made it through screen-free week.” –Anonymous
53. “I got married and I stayed in the moment, and was so excited I shouted my vows and everyone laughed.” –Anonymous
54. “I maintained my weight on an 8-day vacation!” –Anonymous
55. “Moxie boxed today!” –Maike
56. “Found correct alignment in side-lying without cueing.” – Anonymous
57. “Garnering lots of momentum with a variety of projects and organization.” –Maike
58. “I sat through conversations about doctors while exercising.” –Zinta
59. “I lived through my first (and second) spin class!” –Wendy
60. “I started running again!” –Maggie
61. “Lining up a new project and not freaking out about it.” –Anonymous
62. “Completed a creative project I’ve been talking/thinking about for a month!” – M
63. “I signed up for a summer membership.” – Donna
64. “Got a B in math finals and general math grade.” –Anonymous
65. “I have made a concerted effort to cook more and cook healthy foods, and I have gone from zero meals cooked per week to at least 2 meals per week for one month straight!” –Anonymous
66. “Finished a commission and sold a few pieces last month J yay.” –MVW
67. “Had a productive meeting for a project.” –Anonymous
68.  “Did the bathing suit photo shoot!” –Donna
69. “Flash-mobbed divinely at Custer Street Fair.” –Anonymous
70. “Sent a record four articles in to be published today!” –Anonymous
71. “I convinced my boss to do a walking meeting!” –Donna
72. “I came to Moxie Boxing!” –Roberta
73. “I started writing a new play.” –Anonymous
74. “I led the completion of two major projects at work this month; usually it’s one a month. I successfully shuffled to get them done. J” - Anonymous
75. “Had a fabulous pop-up at Swedish Days last weekend!” –Maike’s Marvels
76. “Took three classes in four days with Cara… yoga on!” –Tracy
77. “Participated in an awesome body-positive photo shoot on the beach!” – Several Hip Circle ladies
78. “I didn’t let the mean girls at work make me quit.” – T.
79. “We made time for date night!” –Donna
80.  “Got rejected from a show, but I applied to it! J”  - Maike
81. “I danced divinely in Minnesota. “ – Anonymous
82. “I moved a clavinova!” –Donna
83. “I had a two-year anniversary for a volunteer gig at a world-class museum this week!” –Anonymous
84. “I performed divinely tonight!” – Roberta
85. “I survived crazy summer camp scheduling.” –Donna
86. “Blogged about our body-positive photoshoot.” –Maike
87. “I completed my mid-year goals at work (and then some)” –Anonymous
88. “Got accepted into Morpho Gallery’s Edges show”  –Maike
89. “Finally strong enough to paddle board again.” –Tracy
90. “Enjoying summer J” - Anonymous
91. “Health check week 1 J Going to doctors is good for your health” - Anonymous
92. “I went to an archery class and I hit my target word, which was ‘Magical.” - Anonymous
93. “I successfully carried a hiking backpack that was ~50 lbs that my super fit friend couldn’t even lift! I hiked over half a mile with my gear!” - Anonymous