Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Top 5 Wedding Workout Tips


We know that getting in shape is at the top of many brides' Dream Wedding To Do lists, whether that means toning up your arms or losing 50 pounds. But if you're not really sure just where to start, you've come to the right place for wedding weight loss tips! If you want to look and feel your healthiest for your wedding, we advise these five basic tactics to find a fitness routine that makes sense for your lifestyle without placing a huge burden on all of your other planning tasks.

1. Set A Plan.

This is the first step to really getting success out of your workouts. Thirty minutes on the elliptical one day, doing 100 crunches before bed the next, and parking at the far end of the parking lot the next week are wonderful choices to make on their own, but weight loss comes from visualizing (and sticking to) a set plan. The Knot has a fantastic long-term one, the Shape Up: 6-Month Wedding Fitness Plan, and Pinterest is brimming with options for ideal bridal body workout schedules. Find something that suits your schedule and commit.

2. Find A Workout Partner.

Maybe your future hubby or your MOH are also not-so-enthusiastic about all of those not-so-natural photography angles. (This is where we shy away from what Pinterest has to offer.) Team up and motivate each other to get active, even if it's just so you can both exert maximum energy on the dance floor.

3. Fit In Four Days Of Cardio.

For weight loss, we advise 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week. That can be a walk on your lunch break, two Zumba classes, and a Saturday morning bike ride. Easy.

4. Consider Workouts Appointments.

You wouldn't skip a scheduled fitting or a cake tasting, would you? Write your sweat sessions down in your planner just like everything else you want to do to make sure the big day is as stress-free as possible.

5. Walk To Your Wedding Errands.

Speaking of all of those other pre-big-day tasks, you can use those to sneak in some more calorie burn! Haven't found your flowers yet? Scope out all of the local florists within walking distance and set aside some time to check them out. Need to mail out Save The Dates? Walk over to the post office in town. Meeting with the bridesmaids to plan your final hurrah as a single lady? Suggest a walking meeting at the closest park. Multitasking at its finest!

How are you getting in shape for your wedding? Share your wedding workout tips with us in a comment!



Friday, July 11, 2014

Things To Do In Pittsburgh: Summer Fun That Keeps You Fit



Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. We may be slightly biased, but ForbesBuzzFeed, and The Huffington Post all agree, so we feel justified in saying it. When the summer sun glistens off the spires of the PPG building Downtown, it's hard to argue that Pittsburgh is just plain gorgeous. So, we've rounded up some of the best ways to get outside, get active, and enjoy it.

Source: http://www.kayakpittsburgh.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Kayak-Pittsburgh-2.jpg

Kayaking

With kayak rentals in the North Shore and at North Park, Kayak Pittsburgh can give you gorgeous views and a great shoulder and core workout!

Image source: Venture Outdoors

Hiking

Venture Outdoors offers guided group hikes of varying difficulty from a 3-mile evening stroll through Shadyside, to a 7-mile Waterfall Hike, to a 13-mile Historic Hike in Cooks Forest. You can take in the local scenery and a little bit of knowledge while building up those calf muscles.



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Biking

Pittsburgh has 20+ miles of traffic-free riverfront trail, so you can ride by Point State Park, PNC Park, Downtown, the South Side and so many more iconic Pittsburgh landmarks. Bonus: an hour of biking burns anywhere from 300-600 calories! If you don't have a bike of your own, Golden Triangle Bike Rental sits right on the "Jail Trail" downtown, and even has tandems!

http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/citiparks/Highland_Park_Swimming_011.JPG

Swimming

There are 18 outdoor Citiparks Swimming Pools in and around the city. Some even offer water aerobics classes and dedicated lap swim times through a splash of fitness into your fun. City of Pittsburgh residents can get season passes at any pool site.

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Yoga In The Square

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is offering free yoga throughout the summer on Sundays at 10am right in Market Square. Yoga In The Square is adapted for all levels of yogi and is a great way to stretch out your body and your mind in the fresh air and sunlight.

http://www.pghcitypaper.com/imager/the-new-go-ape-adventure-course-in-north-park-delivers-a-tree-top-work-out/b/original/1659500/01c1/news2_bridge_24.jpg

Ropes Course 

Put your strength, flexibility and coordination to the test at North Park's Go Ape Ropes Course. Their treetop adventure features high ropes, crossings, tunnels, bridges and an "epic wind-in-your-face zip wire" to finish. The course keeps you moving and challenged for 2-3 hours navigating up and down and around obstacles, and gives you a bird's eye view of one of Pittsburgh's biggest parks.


Interested in more Get Fit Fun In Pittsburgh? Check out our list of unique Pittsburgh fitness classes! Or tell us in a comment where you've found fit fun in Pittsburgh this summer!