Wedding preparations are tedious enough as is, from looking for reputable vendors to ensuring that the preparations go smoothly, it is sure to cast a cold sweat to even the most patient soon to weds. However, most would neglect the most important aspect of every wedding celebration; THEMSELVES.

From having beautiful pre-nup photos to fitting into your tight fitted gowns and suits, FITNESS plays an important role in this. We have outlined 5 successful fitness stories and tips below from soon-to-weds we’ve transformed!

I. Start your fitness journey early!

Most soon-to-weds would aim to finish their fitness journey by the day of their wedding and this is a common mistake that we see from our clients. Doing such would risk your gowns/suits not fitting well on your special day hence we highly recommend that you aim to finish your fitness journey before your very first gown/suit fitting to ensure a snug fit come your wedding day. The only thing you should be doing on the months leading up to your wedding is maintenance!

II. Stay consistent!

It’s not enough that we start early, if we don’t get to stay consistent with our fitness plan, then it will only be a plan and nothing more. When it comes to any fitness program, you should always remember to have these 3 things : Compliance, consistency and patience. Most people tend to forget that their body didn’t become the way it is overnight. It took years of neglect for it to become that way and as such we have to be fair to our bodies and allow ample time for improvements.

III. Don’t focus on the numbers. Focus on QUALITY and not QUANTITY.

This is a common issue that we see with new clients, as they tend to focus more on the numbers(quantity) rather than the quality of the transformation(aesthetics). We couldn’t blame them though as mainstream media would encourage such a mindset. Think about it, when was the last time your office held a biggest loser challenge? When did you last ask your friend as to the weight they were able to lose or emphasized on how much you’ve shed?

Time immemorial, we’ve advocated to NOT focus on the scale weight changes and instead focus on the visual changes as this is the more important aspect. If you get to check out our portfolio, you would see clients who only shed a small amount of weight but visually speaking it’s as if they lost 5-6x more than what the number says!

IV. It’s okay to say NO!

When we talk about weddings, there are a LOT of celebrations prior to the actual wedding day itself such as, bridal showers, bachelor’s party and several other meet the ninangs/ninongs(godparents) to name a few. These mini celebrations would usually bring about unhealthy drinks as well as foods and while we discourage our clients from skipping on the event altogether, it is CRITICAL that they learn their limits and learn to say NO once they have consumed enough food.

It is common for Filipino culture to have “Hiya” and “Pakisama” but do remember the reason why you’re having these mini celebrations in the first place, and that is to celebrate YOUR most special day! We would prefer that our clients stay on-track, eating just about enough during these occasions rather than to face regret on their wedding day itself due to not hitting the targets. It’s always OKAY to say NO and your friends and family WILL understand. Trust us on this. The moment Riza realized this, her transformation went smoothly and the result is the beautiful transformation which you see above.

V. Seek professional guidance! Learn to differentiate the fake coaches from the real ones!

Just because someone is “Certified” doesn’t mean that the person is competent. There are some fitness centers which would “CERTIFY” their own coaches which is the same as saying that “My employees are the best”. Always look for a 3rd party certification from reputable institutions such as IFPA, ACE, NASM to name a few. Also DO NOTE that these certifications will not guarantee results. Aside from being certified, always ask for results from previous clients. You have to remember that you are paying these professionals and regardless of the amount that you shell out, you deserve to know if you’ll get your money’s worth.

Another thing to take note of is that, just because these coaches are certified when it comes to personal training DOES NOT MEAN that they are equally knowledgeable too when it comes to nutrition. A lot of fitness influencers and even doctors are guilty of this. When it comes to food intake, always seek guidance from a REGISTERED NUTRITIONIST-DIETITIAN(RND). There is a reason as to why the Nutrition and Dietetics is a 4 year course with a licensure exam at the end of it all. The knowledge and practice as well as the experience isn’t something you can easily get from a certification let alone “trial and error”. As a matter of fact these guys are breaking the law as stated in Republic Act 10862(Nutrition and Dietetics Law) which requires anyone who advises/practices nutritional consultancy to have an RND license.

The Architect PH is the PIONEER online coaching service provider in the Philippines. Our team comprises of certified fitness professionals who work hand in hand with registered nutritionist dietitians to ensure that our clients would get to transform at the soonest possible time and of course, with QUALITY. We are currently serving clients across 23 countries. Feel free to check out our portfolio which is found in our website. We have over 200+ client transformation stories posted to date!

Regardless of the path you choose, we do hope that our tips would help you be at your fittest during your special day!