GETTING YOUR BODY WEDDING READY
In honor of wedding season this is the first post of my wedding series that will cover all aspects of wedding day beauty preparation, from diet and working out to hair and tanning. Stay tuned over the next month to learn exactly what I did to get ready for my big day. It will have been a year since my wedding this August and I am so excited to share my wedding beauty tips with you!
(All bridal photos of me are from a Katie May photoshoot about two months after my actual wedding. Photo: Abbi Cooley, Makeup & hair: Beauty by Melina, Dress: Katie May)
Congrats, you’re engaged!! Now what? I don’t know about you, but one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind was, “how am I going to get into the best shape of my life for my wedding?!” I have seen women transform their bodies for their weddings and when I would ask how they did it I would get a variety of vague answers including, “stress,” “the weight just fell off,” “bar classes.” Right… I didn’t want to leave anything to chance so I decided to meet with a personal trainer, recommended by a friend who had recently gotten into great shape to compete in a bikini competition. Even though I did not want to compete in a bikini competition (or believe that my body could even look that fit for that matter) I wanted to transform my body and thought it was worth a try.
Enter IFBB professional athlete and personal trainer, Michele D’Angona. Michele is a no-nonsense body transformation genius! My first meeting with Michele consisted of a body and diet evaluation. We went over what I ate in a typical day and what my fitness goals were. She put me on a strict 5-week body transformation plan that consisted of a “clean” diet and doing a combination of cardio and weight training six days a week. My favorite part of the experience was that my meal plan and my workout regimen were customized just for me. I also loved that I had an end date to look forward to. I have been pretty thin and athletic for most of my life, but I hadn’t been feeling great about my body for a couple of years at this point and I wanted to give myself plenty of time to get into the best shape of my life before my wedding. The great thing about working with Michele is that she can help you find the perfect plan to fit your lifestyle and meet your fitness goals whether you are looking to lose ten pounds or 100!
Working with Michele was one of the best investments I have ever made. She taught me the foundation of what I needed to achieve and maintain a healthy beautiful body. Now, almost two years after working with Michele I have kept off the weight that I lost and I feel comfortable in my own skin. To me feeling beautiful and comfortable in my own skin is priceless.
In five weeks I lost 10 pounds and looked toned for the first time ever. Over the course of the year before my wedding I worked out consistently and ate very clean. In about 14 months I lost 18 pounds and got very toned. Even though I didn’t work out with Michele for the entire year her program was the foundation and catalyst for my success!
Michele was kind enough to answer some questions that I thought you might have for her below. Enjoy!
Why are your body transformation programs perfect for newly engaged brides-to-be who want to look their absolute best on their big day?
“I would say one of the most amazing things about my programs is the short amount of time it takes to reach a person’s goals. So many people have this idea in their head that it would take years to achieve the bodies that they see in magazines or at fitness shows, but the reality is with a regimented program laid out in clear detail followed on a daily basis, anyone can reach their goals whether it be losing weight, leaning out, reducing cellulite or just looking absolutely amazing on their wedding day.”
When I saw the before and after photos of your clients on your website I thought to myself, “I could never look like that.” Any advice for the workout novice who looks at your website and may be too intimidated to take the first step and contact you?
“One of the many great things about my programs is that they are customized. This means that no matter what skill level you’re at, whether you have a home gym with minimal equipment, or belong to a public gym, the program is written and created for your lifestyle. Same thing goes for the meal plans. If you happen to be gluten-free, or have other dietary restrictions, the program is created to fit your lifestyle and needs so these habits last a lifetime. The program is also designed to take you to whatever level you desire for your body – everyone is different and has a different idea of their ideal body so my programs are customized for each person.”
4 week Body Transformation by Michele D’Angona
Are these fitness programs that anyone can commit to and be successful?
“These programs are most definitely something that anyone can commit and stick to. It really is a mindset more than anything. It’s not about how heavy you can lift or how strong you are this is more of a mind game than anything. It’s about mentally developing a new way of thinking about food and training. It’s about getting more active and learning healthy new habits that will last long after you’ve achieved your goals.”
12 week body transformation by Michele D’Angona
Before I met you I thought I was eating very healthy. You made some minor changes that produced major results for me. Why is diet so important in addition to weight training?
“What you put into your body is so important for a variety of reasons. A person can be eating very healthy meaning making healthy choices, but once things get regimented and macros are calculated (which I include in my programs so that you don’t have to count anything), everything begins to change. The body needs carbs in order to lean out and build muscle. One of the biggest misconceptions that many people, especially women, have is that carbs will make them gain weight – this is not true. The right foods at the right times truly transform the body. Combine that type of regimented diet with the proper training plan and you’re set. Training does not mean over doing cardio, which is another huge misconception that women have. Cardio can actually work against you by burning through lean muscle. It’s the lean muscle that is needed to keep the body tight, to keep your metabolism up, and to create a proportionate and beautifully feminine physique!”
Why is it important for all women (not just brides-to-be) to incorporate weight training into their workout routines?
Weight training is key to truly changing the body. When you weight train and work your muscles you are creating curve, shape, and overall raising your metabolism. The more muscle you build, the more fat you’ll burn even when you are not in the gym! You’ll also be able to eat more of the foods that you actually like instead of being on a “diet.” This is how the lifestyle begins and this is how you permanently change your body for the better!”
7 week body transformation by Michele D’Angona
How much time do you think brides should give themselves to ensure they have plenty of time to look their best on their wedding day? Both for brides that want to lose those last 10 pounds and get toned and the brides that would like to lose 20 pounds or more?
I would suggest getting started on the program at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to your wedding. Depending on when the last fitting of your dress will be, you want to be at pretty much your goal weight, size, and tightness by that last fitting. All women are going to be different, some will need two months, some will need 3 to 4 months, and some might need a bit longer. This also depends on your schedule and commitment level. Again, I create programs that are customized so if you can only get to the gym three or four times a week we would make a program fit to your schedule, but that might also mean that you spend a bit longer getting ready for your wedding. The first step would be to contact me for a free body assessment, which we can do over the Internet if you are unable able meet with me in person. I’m located in Los Angeles, California but for those who are not in the area you can email me at: michele@empoweringbody.com and I’d be happy to provide you with more information regarding my programs and get you started with your body assessment.
Michele offers online programs so don’t worry if you don’t live in LA. A big thank you to Michele for answering my questions and for changing my life! Congrats again to all of you brides-to-be and remember if I can meet my fitness goals I know you can too!!
XO
Ursula
