WeddingDates.ie

I doubt very much that I am the only one who overindulged this Christmas.  The nights out, champagne, mince pies and tins of Roses sure help to pile on the pounds over the holidays!  If you are getting married in Summer 2010, then now is the time to Kick Start your New Year’s Resolutions!!  If you are looking for an incentive to kick start a new healthy lifestyle for the New Year then you might consider a Health Boot Camp.

The Brehon Hotel in Killarney is hosting one with Karl Henry of Operation Transformation Fame on January 22nd- 24th 2010.

The Brehon’s Health Boot Camp, is designed especially to educate and encourage you to turn over a new leaf for the New Year.

Using a combination of workouts, lectures and question and answer sessions, this weekend aims to equip you with the knowledge, know-how and motivation to embark a new healthier lifestyle.

Karl has over ten years experience as a personal trainer, his qualifications include a BSc in Sports Management from University College Dublin as well as two personal training qualifications A.C.E and A.A.B.S.

“My client base consists of athletes, celebrities and people who want to achieve their goals and are willing to work hard to achieve those goals. I don’t believe in quick fixes and fad diets as I feel that healthy eating and proper training is the key to getting amazing results,” explains Karl.

Having been put through your paces by Karl, The Vitality Suite of the Angsana Spa which includes a relaxation pool complete with hydrotherapy jets, tropical showers, herb sauna and crystal steam room is the perfect place to relax and unwind.

The Brehon Health Boot Camp package with Karl Henry costs €299pps and includes two nights’ luxury accommodation in The Brehon, breakfast each morning and two healthy evening meals.  It also includes a seminar on nutrition and reflexology as well as a full day session with Karl Henry which will include a lecture on nutrition, fitness and motivation, workouts, yoga and a question and answer session, and a guided walk of Killarney National Park.  For further information call The Brehon on 064 6630700, email info@thebrehon.com or log onto www.thebrehon.com.

I previously wrote a post about Gillian O’Sullivan Personal Trainer based in Cork who does one-on-one sessions with grooms and brides-to-be in preparation for the big wedding (and honeymoon!).  In the run up to my own cousins wedding, where I was a bridesmaid, I had to call in Gillian to help me get in shape to fit into the bridesmaids dress!!

My cousing bought the dresses off the rack in Coast and as she lives in Dublin and I live in Cork, we didn’t get to go shopping together.  “Just get me a size 10″ I said without hesitation.  Little did I realise, after the long winter, when I met her to collect the dress - it didn’t zip up on me!!!  She was a little worried (naturally) but I reassured her that the wedding was months away and I’d be grand.

Months passed and I put the dress and thoughts of the wedding  out of my mind.  Then, with only 6 weeks to go I tried on the dress again - only to find the zip STILL would not go up!!  Panic stations.  So, I called Gillian and told her my predicament.  6 weeks to fit into a dress.  There was no alternative, it was either that or be sacked as bridesmaid!

Gillian was brilliant for me, and I think it really shows that if you have a specific goal you can really work towards achieving it.  I am guilty of always saying, ” I want to loose a bit of weight, or shape up” but nothing has ever really spurred me into doing anything serious about it.  Well, I’m happy to say after 6 weeks with Gillian I was able to fit into the dress and looked fabulous on the day!  She has a really great approach, she’s not scary but at the same time you wouldn’t want to let her down.  I ate more sensibly and trained during the week too, running and weights at home.  I was out and about, getting fit and healthy and Gillian really gave me the motivation to do it.

Walking up the Aisle

I couldn’t recommend personal training highly enough to any bride (or indeed bridesmaid!) out there that wants to trim up before the wedding.  Having a goal, and an end in sight is a real motivator - and it’ll be all worth it for the bikini bod when you hit the honeymoon!  If you are based in Cork, why not call Gillian to get started!

Yesterday I met with Gillian O Sullivan a former Olympian and World Silver Medallist who now runs her own personal fitness company to hear about how she helps brides (and indeed grooms) to be get in shape to look their best for their big day.

Gillian is based in Cork and runs her personal fitness sessions out of the Hayfield Manor Hotel near UCC in the city.  She does personal & group training and has a special ‘wedding package’ to help the bride, groom, bridesmaids and even the mother of the bride/groom prepare for the wedding.  She recommends starting about 4-6 months out from the big day to make sure you have adequate time to get trim and look great in the dress.

She will meet you once a week (usually in the mornings, or after work) for 1 hour and does some cardio (jogging down to Fitzgearlds Park in the city) and then back to the gym in the hotel for the weight training which helps with the strengthening and toning (and lets face it, the bingo wings).  Also included is an assessment of your overall diet & exercise routine and she gives food advice as well as an exercise schedule for the week before you are back to her again.  And don’t worry, she’s not a screamer - no cheesy Mr Motivator one-liners here!

The good thing about Gillian’s program is that you don’t have to be a gym member already, the exercises she gives you can be done at home or out in a park - you may only have to invest in a small set of hand weights.  With benefits such as increased energy and stress release, to be honest I think it should nearly be mandatory for all brides-to-be!

Gillian will devise a healthy programme to get you in shape, slim down and tone up to look your best on the big day.  She will guide you in the right direction to achieve your goal….of fitting into the all important dress!

Most brides look to shed a few pounds and want to shape up for their big day, but with the cold weather we have had of late you could easily be forgiven in not wanting to lace up the trainers and head out for a run!

With the Muckross Park Hotel in Killarney’s new Bridal Bootcamp, they claim you can drop a dress size in 3 days and lose up to 10lbs!!  This specially designed package for Brides-to-Be, puts you through an intesive regime of exercise, toning and ’sculpting’ your body along with master classes from top chefs on food and nutrition issues as well as pamper sessions to get you plucked and preened for your walk down the aisle.

It doesn’t come cheap, with the Gold Package coming in at €895.00 but for 4 nights luxury 5 star treatment and a team of experts on hand to give you a complete fitmess, wellness and beauty assessment and the promise to drop a dress size during the program then it would have to be considered good value for the determined bride!

The next Bootcamp Program kicks off on the 22nd March and the 19th April, and will be full of like-minded brides all on a mission!  If you like, you can bring along your friend or bridesmaid for a discounted rate, but it sounds like a great bride-bonding experience and after spending 3 days sweating it out together (in the gym AND the sauna!) I’m sure you will come away with new friends.

Contact the Muckross Park Hotel directly to enquire about the Bridal Bootcamp, or check their availability for a 5 star wedding here.