Healthy Bride: 6 month Shape Up

Want to whittle off a couple of inches before your wedding? Here's how to tone up-and trim down the areas that give the most trouble, according to John Hanrahan, Los Angeles professional trainer and a co-founder of the La Palestra Center for Preventive Medicine in New York City.

Those trouble spots

For optimum results, start working out at least 24 weeks before your wedding, put in three sessions in four six-week cycles, and precede any exercise session with some warm--up walking--starting with 20 minutes the first few weeks and increasing to 30-40 minutes by the last cycle. Even if you get a late start, however, you've got nothing-or should we say, everything-to lose!

For the waist

Lying on the floor flat on your back, with your bent at a 45-degree angle, feet flat, interlace your fingers behind your head, and lift your shoulder blades off the floor as high as you can go. Exhale as you rise, inhale as you lower yourself back to the floor. For the first six weeks, do 3 sets of 15 reps; the second, do 3 sets of 20 reps; and for the third, up to 4 sets of 20; for the last, 120 crunches any way you can get them over with! (2 sets of 60 reps, or 4 sets of 30 or 5 sets of 24, etc.)

For upper arms

Standing about 3 feet away from your kitchen countertop (or washer or dryer), holding arms a shoulder's length apart, and keeping your body straight, bend at the elbows and bring your cheeks to the countertop, then push away back to a standing position. (If you can do this easily, then try the classic push-up off the floor instead.) For the first 6 weeks, do 3 sets, 12-15 repetitions; 6-12 weeks, 4 sets; 12-18 weeks, 5 sets; 18-24 weeks, 6 sets.

For hips, thighs and derriere

Starting from the standing position with your feet a shoulder's length apart, take a step about 2 feet forward on one foot, bending both legs at the knees, and dropping as close to the ground as possible without touching it. Then bring leg back to original position, and repeat the same lunging movement with the other leg. For the first 6 weeks, alternate 6 times with each leg for 3 sets; for the second, up to 8 times for 4 sets; for the third, up to 10 times for 5 sets; then, for the last set, up to 20 times, for 6 sets.