Zap Body Fat, Beat Fatigue, and Shape Muscle in Less Time

Want to learn the savvy tricks and tips to look stunning when it’s time to tie the knot? I've helped countless women get into the best shape of their lives for their most important day.

I recently shared my secrets for getting fit with DolceDolce editor Gracey Hitchcock. Just remember: Beautiful isn’t just for brides. These tips and programs can work for anyone who wants to look gorgeous and feel energized every day.

DD: Very often a bride and others have events come up when there isn’t a year to work with. Could you give DolceDolce readers few tips for toning up quickly - say in 10 days? Many readers would appreciate that type of advice.

JA: Like a successful marriage, good health requires careful planning, focused effort, and a lifelong commitment. There are no shortcuts, just time-tested strategies (and many uncommon tips) to help you march down the aisle with confidence, and live happily ever after. My advice for those who have less than two weeks to get fabulous is simple: 1) perform your usual workouts; 2) eat only unprocessed foods (sorry, no bread) and drink 64 ounces of water daily. One day before the big event you should visit the spa to help you relax, as well as skip the late-night Cosmos with the girls; alcohol before bedtime discourages a good night’s sleep. Any magic pill or potion that promises “super fast” results is probably unsafe.

DD: In the book you provided the option of working out at home, which is great. You gave a list of equipment which is manageable, but still extensive. If a woman had to pick just three things to buy to work out with - not including her shoes - what would you recommend?

JA: Of course it is understood that a woman should always wear fabulous shoes, even to the sports club. So fitness fashion aside, the best equipment is 1) versatile (you can perform literally hundreds of exercises with it); 2) space-efficient (this is helpful if your cozy Manhattan studio or suburban basement also doubles as your home gym); and 3) cost-effective. So with these three rules in mind you can tighten stubborn trouble zones and sculpt a gorgeous figure with a pair of adjustable dumbbells, a stability ball, and a heart-rate monitor.

DD: Is it always necessary to diet as well as work out to achieve a good result, and visa versa?

JA: Diet and exercise always go hand-in-hand. Everyone wears a layer of insulation (aka fat) between their skin and muscle. The less insulation you have, the more “sculpted,” “toned,” or “defined” your body will appear. Research says that 80 percent of how you look is nutrition related. And the best training plan on earth will not help your shoulders, arms, and back look stunning in a dress, unless you are eating the right amount of calories each day. This point is so important that WeddingShape reveals the exact step-by-step formula to determine how much food you need, when to eat to burn the most calories, the exact portion size to lose pounds and inches, and the sneaky ways you may be sabotaging your body-sculpting progress every meal. I’ve even included a shopping list to help you find the juiciest, most satisfying - yet body-firming - foods at the grocery store.

DD: Can you explain why weight training is so important to getting results? Is it really possible to sculpt your body with exercise and/or change your metabolism?

JA: Weight or resistance training is, hands-down, the most effective form of exercise to boost a sluggish metabolism, zap unwanted body fat in less time, beat fatigue, and shape muscle. It also strengthens bones, increases self-confidence, and literally slows the aging process. It’s the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth.

The body-sculpting benefits are due to the fact that muscle burns more calories than fat. A barbell squat, for example, works most of the muscles in your body. Assuming you perform excellent technique and choose a challenging weight, you will build muscle. More muscle means a faster metabolism. And a speedy metabolism will literally torch fat while you sleep. Just remember that you will not get man-muscles from weight training! Women simply don’t have enough of the male hormone testosterone to bulk up.

DD: You offer an online personal training program? Is it expensive? I wonder, because personal training is highly recommended, but many places expect women to spend hundreds of dollars a week for training. That can be fabulous, but it isn’t doable for many women, especially young women. Even several hundred a month can be steep for a young person starting out. Is this a more affordable option? And what are the benefits?

JA: If you have the financial means to hire a competent, credentialed personal trainer I highly recommend it. Just be prepared to spend anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour. The WeddingShape Online Fitness Trainer won’t break your budget (it’s less than one dollar per day) particularly when you consider that the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is about $27,000.

But you don’t have to be planning a honeymoon to enjoy the benefits. This virtual personal trainer helps women of all ages and ability levels melt unwanted fat with a customized exercise plan, based on your ability level and goals (like dropping a dress size or minimizing figure flaws). Plus, I designed the workouts to be performed at home or in a commercial fitness setting. Because it’s online you can be at any Internet connection, anywhere in the world. Simply log in to view and print your workouts. In addition, WeddingShape Online Fitness Trainer provides detailed exercise descriptions as well as step-by-step exercise images, so you get results fast.

DD: Aside from just quitting, what are some of the worse mistakes you see women make when they set out to get in shape?

JA: The secret to looking and feeling fabulous involves commitment and an organized plan. You must address mind, body, and spirit in order to guarantee long-term success. To avoid common fitness mistakes (think marathon cardio sessions to “burn fat,” or choosing ineffective exercises, like arm curls with soup cans) you’ll need 1) a customized training program; 2) portion-controlled nutrition strategies; 3) savvy sleep habits; and 4) stress-management tips.

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Have a great week.

Best,

Joe

Joseph Arangio
Author, WeddingShape

How to Shape, Tone, and Sculpt a Gorgeous Figure

The closest thing to the fountain of youth is not a pill or magic potion, but rather a form of exercise that will help you fight cellulite and look fabulous for the rest of your life. Running, walking or cycling isn’t enough. Weight training can benefit every woman. Find out how easy it is to shape, tone, and sculpt a gorgeous figure. WeddingShape author, Joseph Arangio, shows you the secrets to create a new you.

A busy working mother, Sue Rutt spends her off-time either cleaning the house or driving her three children to sports practices and rehearsals. Five nights a week Sue’s on the go, but she says she’s found the key to de-stressing.

“It’s time to myself. If I feel better about myself, I definitely feel like I’m a better mother.”

A few miles away, another mother of three prepares dinner for the family, helps with homework, and cares for her month-old son. She believes she’s discovered the answer to an easier pregnancy.

“I was able to control my eating, I had energy. People didn’t know I was pregnant until I was really far along.”

So what has these two women feeling and looking better? Weights.

“The people that did the free weights, I thought that was just guy territory. I wasn’t really sure. I was a little intimidated by it at first but I realized that I needed it.”

Weight training. Not every woman’s ideal pastime. But strength and conditioning specialist, Joe Arangio says pumping iron keeps everyone healthier and looking better. Power lifter, Kim Tracy has been doing it for years.

“It definitely builds the self-confidence, boosts the ego. It helps you to keep going throughout the day. Energy.”

Arangio is president of PEAK Strength & Conditioning, an exercise consulting company which works one-on-one with everyday women like Sue and Anecia. He writes regularly for Muscle Media magazine. And says one of the most common deterrents women have to working with weights isn’t even true.

“I used to definitely think that you would bulk up, but you don’t”

“A female getting big from resistance training is like me getting up in the morning and accidentally driving to Texas. It’s not going to happen.”

Instead, Arangio suggests 10 reasons every woman should pick up that dumbbell.

#1: It improves your body by adding lean muscle tissue and reducing fat—something cardiovascular exercise can’t do as efficiently.

#2: Speeds up metabolism. That will burn more calories during and even after workouts.

#3: Strengthens bones.

“Resistance training will reduce the chance of osteoporosis or at least slow the progression of osteoporosis by increasing your bone density.

#4: It increases self confidence.

#5: Reduces depression. Weight training increases the mood-elevating hormone of testosterone. Even in females, to a small degree.

#6: It lowers blood pressure.

#7: Resistance training increases good cholesterol and lowers bad.

#8: It lessens the pain from arthritis.

#9: Enhances overall sports performance.

#10: And the final reason every woman should pump iron... It decreases low back pain.

“What resistance training does is it strengthens the musculature around the back, allowing the low back region to deal with stresses—picking up keys off the floor, just doing regular activities of daily living, pain free.“

For instance, weight training has practical applications. Doing lunges with weights builds the muscles Anecia needs to pick up her keys, with a baby in arm. Then there is the shoulder press, working the same muscles Sue uses when placing heavy dishes in that overhead cabinet. This torso rotation exercise with a weighted medicine ball can make lifting and handing off little Nicholas to his older sister a lot easier. And finally, this seated row works those important arm and back muscles Sue uses to pull that refreshing jug of iced tea from the fridge.

“It’s made a big difference. I feel much better. When I come to the gym it totally clears my mind.”

“After I was pregnant and I delivered, I just felt like the whole world was off my shoulders. Like my body’s ready to be back to normal again very quickly.”

Arangio says beginners should perform two to four exercises with weights for 20-30 minutes. Another 10-20 minutes of cardio, followed by a few minutes of flexibility training, will give you a full-body regimen, sure to show quick results.

Arangio suggests three basic movements for the beginner. First, a chest press works chest muscles and triceps in the arms.

“Kim is doing a very slow, controlled movement. Two seconds down, two seconds, up, with a one second pause at the top. This is how all repetitions should be performed.”

Next, a kneeling one-arm row improves muscles in the back and biceps in the arms.

“Step-by-step, you want to kneel on the bench; the hand is supporting half of her body weight. She’s got a nice, stable foot position. She’s lowering the weight down, without locking out her elbow. There’s a little bend in the arm. Her back is nice and flat, almost as if you’re balancing a tray of glasses on the back.”

And the third basic exercise, dumbbell squat, works the legs.

“Always assume a shoulder-width stance, heels in toes out. You’re going to let the weights hang comfortably in the hands. Squat down, bend the knees to about 90 degrees.”

Anecia says weight training has improved her whole outlook on life and makes her feel like a million bucks.

“I like the fact that my body looks better. I can pretty much walk into a store, I know my size and buy it and feel good. And know I look good. Health-wise, I don’t get sick like everybody.”

Sue remembers it took dedication and willpower at first, but soon it became part of her life.

“I started seeing results and I started feeling better. And then it was like I usually come three to four times a week. And you just have too… there’s days, believe me, where I wake up and I don’t feel like going.”

“Once you make it part of your lifestyle, it’s hard to not live with it.”

So these women suggest you find a trainer or buddy to show you the ropes and keep you motivated in the beginning. But they promise that weights will soon shed the old and reveal a new and improved you.
© Tempo! 2004

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Melt Fat, Sculpt Problem Areas, Reduce Stress, and Get Into the BEST Shape of Your Life, on the Biggest Day of Your Life...Your Wedding Day!

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Until next time… stay healthy!

Best,

Joe

Author, WeddingShape Diet and Fitness Guide for Brides

WeddingShape Training Plan for Brides