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In my previous post on skincare, I stated that there is no easy fix to great skin, and my opinion is that the best thing you can do for your skin is to exercise, wear sunblock and eat well. And of course, you want to cleanse, gently exfoliate and hydrate your skin.

Take the money you would’ve spent on pricey skin care products and put it towards a gym membership and great sunblock. Instead of spending time and energy on “miracle cures”, spend that time designing a lifestyle that incorporates activity and nutrient dense foods. Treat yourself to a wonderful facial as your reward for protecting your skin. Eat vegetables and healthy oils. Your skin is alive and needs nutrients to look healthy. Treat your health like a savings account. You put a little in every day and even though you don’t see a big change right away, in 10 years you will be really glad that you did.

I’m 41 years old, and I am very happy that for the last 25 years I have forced myself off of the couch to exercise, and I embraced my skin color (fair) and use self tanner when necessary. Most of us will spend much more time over 35 years old than under, so we need to change to long term thinking instead of short term.

Okay, I am going to get off of my soapbox and share with you some of my local favorites for my plan of attack.

(image source)

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ed’s note: You can read Part 1 of Emilie’s Wedding Prep Plan here.

I’d be lying if I said I enjoy exercising.

There are so many things I’d rather do than watch the seconds tick by while on the treadmill. It’s usually during those torturous cardio sessions when I typically find myself acknowledging those things. I never think “Ooooh! Would you look at the time?!” and marvel at how quickly time passes while exercising like I do sometimes when answering emails, watching a movie or chatting with a girlfriend over lunch. I wish it happened that way, but it just doesn’t.

I’m not one of the lucky few who don’t have to worry about what they eat or if they exercise, so I have to make a very concentrated effort to “Just Do It.” The hardest part is stepping away from work and making the time. Lately, however, I’ve definitely been putting in the extra effort. A typical week looks like this:

Sunday: 7 mile walk
Monday: 1 hour free weights with personal trainer, 30 minutes cardio, 1 hour pilates class
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 1 hour free weights with personal trainer, 30 minutes cardio
Thursday: 3.5 mile walk, 1 hour kickboxing class
Friday: 2 mile walk, 1 hour cardio sculpt class
Saturday: 90 minutes cardio

Getting the right pair of shoes to support your body for all of those activities is crucial. I highly recommend visiting a specialty sports shoe store that can watch you walk and properly fit you with the best shoe for your body. My feet pronate a bit, so the knowledgeable staff at Maine Running Company matched me with Brooks’ Adrenaline shoe ($99). I love these sneakers! I used to wear Superfeet insoles, but these sneakers are constructed to correct the pronation.
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In the last six years of photographing weddings, I have heard many brides exclaim how they have never taken such good care of their bodies compared to the months leading up to their wedding. A lot of you have commented on my Twitter and Facebook updates about the fitness and beauty regimen I have been following to get myself feeling my best to walk down the aisle. And so, I wanted to share with you my plan in more detail with the hopes of inspiring your own goals.

Part 2 (exercise), Part 3 (beauty) and Part 4 (balance) to come!

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