There was nothing quite like setting a wedding date to make me realise all of my physical flaws and how bad I was taking care of myself. Not coincidentally, setting our date was also a deadline for me to emerge like a butterfly from my cocoon and look like a movie star on my wedding day.
A wedding day is about celebrating two individuals coming together as a family but I found it incredibly ironic that in the lead up to the wedding I wanted to change improve everything about me 100% whether it be my skin tone, my hair colour or the size of my pants. I know that Grant was marrying me for me and eventually I filtered out the noise telling me that I needed to change in order to be beautiful on my wedding day.
That said, I did make a few changes in my diet and lifestyle in the lead up to the wedding. I drank more water, tried to eat more fruit and vegetables, exercised daily and indulged in regular facials (the latter was not at all hard to add to my routine!)
When I started to think about who I wanted to contribute to the Summer Series 2012, Équilibre was at the top of my list. Health and fitness has become such a huge part of the wedding planning process and I wanted to cast a different perspective on the whole concept which Équilibre were perfect for. This husband and wife team are not about diet pills, protein shakes and deprivation. They are about enjoying life and the things you like, in moderation and in balance. Being a huge fan of French Women Don’t Get Fat, which is a similar philosphy, I found myself internally shouting YES!! when I discovered them and their fantastic, healthy approach to life, food and fitness.
Nic and Pascal just welcomed a little bundle of joy, baby Remy to their family but managed to find a little time in their busy schedules to be interviewed for my Summer Series.
How and when did Equilibre begin?
We created the business concept in 2010 after seeing how increasingly frustrated our clients were becoming with all the confusing information and advice around on diet and exercise. We felt that there was room for an alternative – with a realistic, back-to-basics, sustainable approach – and out of that, Équilibre (French for balance) was born. We bring together Pascal’s years of expertise and experience as an exercise professional and combine it with Nic’s passion for great food and cooking – the perfect ‘balanced’ partnership!
At Équilibre, we teach and inspire an appreciation for exercise and good food, and encourage a healthy lifestyle based on balance – no gimmicks, quick fixes or empty promises.
What is a realistic timeline for a bride who wants to tone up and get fit and healthy for her wedding? 3 months before the wedding? 6 months?
Naturally, the longer you have, the better the results and the more likely you will be to maintain your healthy new regime. Slow and steady progress will always create stronger, more lasting results than a short burst of intensive effort. A realistic time-frame also depends on what base you are coming from and what expectations you have. Regardless of how long you have before your wedding, be it 6 weeks or 6 months, the real key is simply to start and then keep it going – and the benefits will be there for you. Saying that, if weight loss is your main focus, don’t leave it until the last few weeks when the temptation to crash diet or try other damaging quick fixes can become all too tempting and can cause more long-term damage than good.
“Fitness for foodies” sounds like a great concept. What are the principles that your mission statement is based upon?
For us, staying fit and healthy is a way of life, but doesn’t mean that we miss out on fabulous food, a great glass of wine or a well-made coffee. Too often, we find that people associate good health and fitness with deprivation, rigid routines and sacrificing the things they enjoy. We’re here to convince you that it doesn’t have to be like that – fitness really can be for foodies!
Our core principles…
• Exercise is about more than just weight loss or athletic ability – it’s about gaining health.
• Life is too short for diets, diet pills, meal replacements or artificial anything.
• When it comes to food, quality and variety always wins out over quantity.
• Eat food as close to its original form as possible. Think wholesome, natural and delicious.
• Get over the ‘all or nothing’, ‘feast or famine’ mentality – your health and fitness regime needs to be something you can happily incorporate into your lifestyle for the long term.
What are some nutrition tips for a bride or groom? What things should they be adding to or reducing from their diet as they focus on getting into shape?
We suggest implementing nutrition changes gradually, focusing on one habit at a time. Following strict diets or cutting out entire food groups is not the best way to approach it.
Our favourite nutrition tips…
• Cut out all soft drink including diet versions – develop a taste for refreshing mineral water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
• Reduce alcohol – stick with a glass of something you really enjoy at social functions.
• Cut out highly processed foods – avoid anything with a long list of ingredients you don’t understand.
• Don’t fall for the ‘low fat everything’ trap – products labeled ‘low fat’ or ‘reduced fat’ often contain a lot of sugar or artificial additives – we prefer to take our lead from the French and enjoy just a little good quality cheese or full fat yoghurt, it’s an experience not to be missed!
• Experiment with new ingredients and increase the variety in your diet.
• Cook at home as often as possible and plan your meals.
It’s also a great time to learn how to cook if you or your partner is lacking that particular skill. Take cooking classes together, invest in new cookbooks or a magazine subscription and experiment in the kitchen. Home cooking is so much better for you and your future family’s health.
There seems to be nothing quite like a wedding to make a bride begin to realize that she needs to start a workout routine and tone up. Where do you suggest she start to get the best results? What elements make for a good routine?
There’s so much pressure on brides these days and it’s understandable that they want to look and feel their best for the event and look gorgeous in photos! Whatever your motivation, we think its a perfect time to get started on a health and fitness routine so as to set yourself up for marriage and your future life together – not just for the big day itself.
Just getting started? Be sure to…
• Work out what your goals are – try not to focus purely on weight loss.
• Get some expert advice – you rely on experts for every other aspect of your wedding, so why leave your own health and wellbeing to chance?
• Make a plan – how are you going to incorporate your workout sessions into your weekly schedule? What do you need to do to make this happen?
• Seek support from family and friends – share your journey with your partner and encourage him or her to join you. Why not involve your bridal party, too – power walking planning meetings, anyone?
As far as your routine is concerned, we suggest a holistic approach, incorporating both exercise and nutrition – there’s no sense signing up for bridal boot camp if you’re still eating rubbish! A good all round exercise routine needs to have elements of cardio, strength and stretching, but inevitably the best routine for you is one that you can realistically sustain. Its also worth addressing other lifestyle factors such as sleep and stress as they may have an impact on your overall effectiveness and ability to stick to your routine.
Is it possible for brides to spot-tone on particular areas of concern?
We’re not fans of the concept of spot toning or reducing and don’t think that brides should focus on it as it inevitably sets them up for disappointment. Every ‘body’ is built differently and the trick is to enhance your natural shape, not to change it completely. As long as an exercise program incorporates balanced body strengthening (both upper and lower body) some cardio, and exercises for flexibility, it should provide great overall results. Besides, we want our brides looking fabulous in their honeymoon bikini, not just their strapless wedding gown!
What general words of advice do you have for brides and grooms wanting to incorporate a healthy fitness regime in the lead up to their wedding, and beyond?
The fantastic thing about incorporating health and fitness as part of your wedding preparation is that the benefits linger well beyond the big day itself…
• Commit to your health and fitness, but ensure that it’s a positive and enjoyable experience – that way, you’ll be far more likely to stick with it long after your wedding date comes and goes.
• Use your new exercise routine as a form of relaxation and stress release, particularly as the big day draws closer.
• Be sure to enjoy the social celebrations in the lead up; it’s a great time to develop your sense of equilibrium instead of feeling guilty every time you are offered a glass of bubbly. Don’t eat and drink everything in sight though – be picky and select only the foods you know you are going to love and savour.
• Above all, aim to be the best version of yourself on the day, not a carbon copy of someone you’ve seen in a magazine. It’s your day to shine, and your uniqueness is the reason why you are standing there in the first place!
Image courtesy of Équilibre
Thank you so much Nic and Pascal! I love Nic’s advice of aiming to be the best version of yourself on your wedding day. If you are looking for a leg up in your workout routine or nutritional program, Équilibre offer wonderful specialised coaching programs to give you the tools to get you where you want to be. I am implementing small pieces of their program into my lifestyle as I go along and love that it is a no nonsense, sensible approach.
Remember that whatever you do when it comes to your health and fitness, it should be a lifestyle choice and not a quickie fix and at the end of the day the person standing at the end of the aisle loves you just as you are. Right now.
So looking forward to meeting you!
Haha! That part about Kiwis is so true!! xx