Get-Fit Tips From 'Get Married'

So we're quickly approaching New Year's 2010. We better get ready to tackle those resolutions! I recently received a great e-article from Get Married in my inbox that I'd like to share. It's called Top Get-Fit Tips For Brides. According to Medical News Today, weight-related goals account for 66% of all resolutions set for the new year. Based on that statistic, I'm sure at least some of you will find the following information helpful. These don't apply only to brides-to-be, so no excuses!

1-Set goals that are realistic and specific, and having a set time period as your goal will help you stick to a new fitness regime. What better goal than to fit into your dress on the wedding day? Write down your plan of action for every day, week, etc. Make sure it is something you can measure and not just the end goal, but the milestones along the way. Start with a plan that you think you can accomplish or exceed. Walking for 30 minutes at a time. Then running for 20 minutes and see how many times you have to stop and walk each time. Eventually work up to running for 30 minutes and so on.

2-Figure out what your barriers to exercise and eating well are, and make a plan to conquer and avoid those specific barriers. Take each barrier or excuse and write down ways you can solve the problem.

3-Put one sneaker in front of the other. Many of us waste too much time saying we need to work out but dread the process. Trick yourself by just getting dressed for it and not really thinking about the next step. If you take it one step at a time, before you know it you will finish the cool-down and feel amazing.

4-Multitask your workouts! Cut your one hour workout into 30-minutes of multitasking toning moves (doing upper and lower body at same time while involving the core) with cardio intervals to boost your metabolism and fat burn.

5-Invest in a gym membership, DVD or trainer if you don't have one already, and use it. If you don't have the money right now, buy an inexpensive workout DVD like my NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout at www.nikkifitness.com or Amazon.com.

6-Make yourself an upbeat iPod play-list or CD and dance around as you straighten up at home; find a hip-hop or African dance class at the gym; learn to bellydance at an adult education class or at the Y; plan a girls' night out dancing. You can find a great list on my website.

7-Make active dates to see friends and family and do something that doesn't involve eating and drinking. Walk through the park, go biking in summer, ice skate or cross country ski in winter, walk the mall, take a yoga or cardio class, or run on a treadmill right next to my friend.

8-Think of food as a fuel, not as a gift, which means passing on food that is high in fat and sugar, and taking HALF the portion everyone else heaps onto their plate at a party and packing up half your food in a restaurant in a doggy bag.
9-Follow the food pyramid daily, by focusing on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and calcium, not sweets and fats. Also, take a daily multi-vitamin. If you have to be at a restaurant, identify the 3 healthiest things on the menu and pick between those.

10-Weigh yourself every week to remember your goals and feel good about the choices you made yesterday.

Provided By: NikkiFitness (Nicole Glor), creator of Destination Wedding Workout

Happy New Year!

Simple Ways To Save BIG!

Over the past few months, I've been challenged to think of creative ways to save money as I plan my wedding next October. Based on my findings, here's a quick list of simple ways to save big!

1. Simplify your stationary. Whether this means you skip save-the-dates, tackle DIY invites, or simplify a super formal invite by cutting down on the amount of pieces included (which also cuts down on your postage).

2. Do more borrowing. Rather than buy new items for every aspect of your wedding, consider borrowing a few things from family and close friends. Some of my ideas have included jewelry (thanks Mom!), wedding veil (thanks Auntie!), or card box (thanks Wendy!).

3. Warning: This next one may not appeal to everyone (including me), but I'm going to at least throw it out there... Consider shopping for a 'gently used' gown rather than buying a brand new one. Websites like savethedress.com and woreitonce.com are good places to start.

4. Offer signature drinks. This is a great alternative to an open bar which can get out of hand very quickly. Trust me, it's in no way tacky to host only a couple signature drinks, or you could also choose to host only wine and champagne before/along with dinner.

5. Minimize your menu. It is absolutely unnecessary to offer chicken, steak, fish, and a vegetarian option to every guest. Watch out for those split-entree fees which can quickly add to your budget, and make a choice to minimize the options. It is perfectly acceptable to only offer two options, or you could offer just one that includes two proteins. It's a wedding, not a 5-star restaurant (although I hope the food tastes like it is!!).

6. Research thoroughly before booking your honeymoon. You don't necessarily have to limit yourself to vacationing in the U.S. to save big... Just be a smart traveler! Do some price checking and try to get the best deal you can. Do(!) keep in mind that you don't want to completely sacrifice your experience for a lower price. It's always a good idea to consult with a travel agent and/or refer to reviews on sites like tripadvisor.com. Do the best you can to strike a balance between affordability and enjoyability!

7. Be honest about comparative bidding. Often times, companies will be willing to price-match if you give them the opportunity and present it in a non-threatening way (and are truly honest). If they decline, politely accept and move onto the next option.

Happy Holidays! [And Happy Planning!]

Using Bells For Holiday Decorating

Here are a couple more Christmas decorating ideas to spruce up your home for the holidays, both of which incorporate inexpensive bells. The first idea is extremely simple and very festive.

Tie classic silver bells (or any other color you choose) with decorative ribbon to doorknobs throughout your house. If you can't stand all the festive noise, I recommend placing the bells only at your front door. This idea allows visitors to jingle their way into your home this Christmas. :)

The next idea requires a bit more time and effort, but the end result is worth it. This decorative touch would be adorable in a kitchen or front window.

1. Purchase a tension rod at your local hardware store or Wal-Mart/Target.

2. Cut strips of decorative ribbon of your choosing about one foot longer than the length of the window.

3. Tie the ribbons evenly-spaced along the tension rod that you have secured inside the window frame.

4. String on bells and ornaments, knotting them in place approximately 5 inches apart.

5. Repeat across the window.

Tip: This looks much better when you stagger and vary the bells and ornaments (as shown).

Only 10 more days until Christmas... Hope you're all almost done with your holiday shopping!

Simple Can Be Beautiful

As promised, I'm going to share another idea for holiday decorating with you. This particular one is extremely easy to put together (I know I always say that, but it's true)! All you need is an ornament tree of your choosing and various holiday objects to add splashes of color. A few ideas include candy canes, small red/green wire bows, tinsel, peppermints, and ornaments.

To get this look, all you need to do is decide on your theme and scatter the objects on the wire tree. This adorable item would be the perfect accent at your bar or buffet table for this year's holiday party.

If you don't have a wire tree, check out www.ornament-trees.com. They have a very diverse selection that includes just about every style and color you could think of- black, white, colored, rotating, brass, gold, and silver, to name a few. This particular idea goes to show that simplicity can be really beautiful [Is anyone else with me that many holiday decorations have now become overly embellished, too technological, and just plain gaudy?]

Deck The Halls

One of my very favorite aspects of event planning is decor. I love finding unique and creative decorating ideas, especially for the holidays! Over the course of the next month I'll be sure to share multiple easy and inexpensive ways to decorate and prep for holiday events. Here's the first...

How perfect would this be as a simple centerpiece (surrounded by candles, of course) or for placing on your mantel or coffee table? All you have to do is put ornaments on top of leaves in a cake stand, and you're done! I think it may be even prettier to use garland and rich greens rather than the leaves as shown. In addition, I'd add some red ornaments too! Stay tuned for more ways to deck the halls this season!