With a new year comes the inevitable resolutions, plans and goals for the year ahead. For a lot of people, these goals centre around losing weight, toning up and getting healthier, which means New Year is a great time for brides-to-be to up their game when it comes to health and fitness. Whether you’re looking to shed a few pounds, build muscle or just be a bit healthier in general, we’ve got 10 easy tips to help you shape up for your big day.

Take up a class

If the idea of a full-on gym membership scares you, why not consider taking up a weekly class or two? Classes can be a really fun way of getting fit, and with so many different types of classes available, there’s guaranteed to be something you’ll enjoy. With everything from boxercise to pilates, clubbercise to bums and tums, or even full-on classes such as spinning, there’s no excuse not to grab a pal and go along to feel the burn.

Eat more fruit and veg

Instead of having an all-out ban on things like chocolate and takeaways, why not aim to eat more fruit and veg? Certain fruits and vegetables can help speed up your metabolism to encourage weight loss, and are much more filling than processed foods, so you’re more likely to reach for less fatty foods as you won’t be as hungry! Instead of snacking on chocolate or crisps, reach for grapes, carrot sticks or apple slices to tide you over between meals.

Try an exercise DVD

Who says you have to leave the house to do exercise? If a trip to the gym or a session pounding the pavement isn’t for you, an exercise DVD could be just the thing. Pop your DVD on and get ready to sweat away, all in the comfort of your own home. Most workout DVDs are quite short, so you can always fit in a quick workout in the morning before work.

Go for a swim

Whilst swimming can be daunting if you’re not feeling particularly bikini-confident, it makes a really great all-over workout. It’s definitely worth checking out your local swimming pool times to see what works for you, and head along for a nice relaxing swim – it can help to ease that wedding stress too!

Homemade is best

Although it isn’t always convenient for those of us with busy lifestyles, taking the time to cook your own homemade food from scratch is so beneficial if you want to keep healthy and lose some weight. You can even make homemade versions of your favourite takeaway meals so that you can enjoy them without the guilt – use a low-calorie cooking spray to whip up your own homemade chips, healthy fry-up or why not experiment and give a healthy cauliflower pizza base a go?

Try interval training

Although the term ‘interval training’ sounds scary, it really isn’t. It basically means switching between periods of high-intensity and intensity exercise. So, for example, you could go for a run and switch things up by jogging for two minutes, and sprinting for one minute. It works really well if you’re looking to lose weight because it allows you to burn more calories in a shorter space of time. Give it a go – you might find you enjoy it!

Get a personal trainer

If you are a gym bunny in need of an extra push to kick start the New Year, why not hire a personal trainer? Personal trainers are great if you really want to up your fitness game before your wedding, or if you’re simply struggling for motivation when working out. They can also help offer advice and give you a workout plan that is tailored to you, so you know exactly what you’re doing when in the gym.

Take note

Although it’s never good to obsess over what you eat, you might find it helps by writing what you eat down if you are struggling to lose weight. Keep a diary or use an app to make note of what you eat on a daily basis – and be honest – you might find you’re eating a lot more or less than you realised!

Do it together

There’s no denying that working out on your own can be tough, and sometimes it can be a real struggle to find the motivation. So, why not ask your groom-to-be if he’d like to work out with you? Couples that train together, stay together as they say, so it might be worth taking him along to some classes or to the gym so that you can help each other get fit for your wedding day.

Track it

Fitness trackers are all the rage and they are a great way of keeping track of how you’re doing in terms of fitness. Some trackers have a built-in heart-rate monitor which works to track your heart-rate 24/7, a great way to see how well you’re doing during your workouts. Fitness trackers can be a great little motivator as they allow you to push yourself even more when you see yourself improving.

Are you looking to shape up for your big day? Let us know if you have any tips of your own to share with our other brides-to-be! You can share your advice on the UKbride Facebook or Twitter, or send us a Member Request by signing up to the website for advice from our lovely brides!