Prepping For Your Getaway

Got a special occasion coming up? This one’s for you. Not that we don’t think you are perfect the way you are—we just happen to know a fabulous trainer who helps women transform their outside to complement their beautiful inside. Siera Capesius reminds us that prepping for your upcoming getaway is all about mind-body balance.

“Prepping For Your Getaway”

By Siera Capesius

Take a moment and consider these 3 scenarios…

Scenario 1: The love of your life pops the question, “Will you marry me?”

Scenario 2: You get invited to a destination wedding to watch someone close to you walk down the aisle. You are thrilled for a much-needed getaway and say, “Yes, absolutely!”

Scenario 3: After years of wanting to do it, your best girlfriends plan a long-awaited ‘eat, pray, love’ trip to somewhere over the rainbow—and you can’t wait! You say, “Finally… Let’s do it!”

Whichever one of these scenarios sounds familiar, you can’t deny that you want to look and feel your best for your upcoming getaway. Like most women, no matter what your age, there’s something inside of you that’s telling you it’s time to strut your stuff in your favorite dress or bathing suit.  Uh oh, did I say bathing suit?

The truth of the matter is that more and more women nowadays are planning little getaways to relax and get away from their everyday routines. And, they want to look good doing it. Besides, women have an innate need to impress other women, even our close friends (but that’s for another article…). So, back to the scenarios. Reality soon sets in and after the initial, “Great, I finally have something amazing to look forward to!”.  You realize there are only a few months to get ready.

Now what?

Prepping for your getaway

I have the luxury of helping people transform their lives for many special occasions. Living a healthy and active lifestyle myself, I understand the struggles most women have in setting goals and sticking to them. But, when something comes up like a wedding or a family reunion, it’s much easier to keep your eye on the prize.

That’s why as part of my training mandate with clients, I try to change people’s perspective on eating and training to maintain a healthy body and mind. It’s so important for longevity. As a personal trainer, I am 100 percent committed to providing my clients with the exceptional guidance and motivation they need to achieve their desired results.

For instance, new brides-to-be and “second marriage” brides are more aware of what they want to present on their big day. Along with feeling and looking fantastic—they also want to exude health and happiness.

Not to mention, with the onslaught of selfies popping up on social media and the help of hundreds if not thousands of eyes on you via your photographer’s online albums and highlight reels, more women are prepping for their special occasion with the ‘bigger picture’ in mind.

So, I’ve compiled some easy training tips to get ready for your big day—whether you are the blushing bride or showing off your best self at your girl’s beach getaway.

Fitness aspirations

The fitness aspect always differs depending on your goals—if you want to lose weight, firm, or gain muscle. If you want to lose weight, we will generally focus on circuit training workouts mixed with weight lifting days. For someone who wants to gain weight, we will do more heavy lifting days and less cardio.

I even get down to the details of how brides in particular want to look in their wedding dresses and in photos: Does she have a strapless dress and wants her back to look lean? Or is her dress mermaid cut and wants to have an hourglass figure?

Interestingly, I’ve even been asked to go to dress fittings with clients to ensure a more well-rounded consultation that appeases their fitness needs. This allows me to see how the dress looks and how she wants her body composition to change. This goes for mothers of the bride too. Here’s a pre-event Sample training regimen.

But remember, the fitness portion is only part of the process.

How to eat for a healthier you

The nutrition aspect is crucial for anyone wanting to change their body for an event. That’s why a big part of my consultations focus on how to track macronutrients. Macronutrients consist of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. The grams of each macro are important for your body composition and how it will look.

When I work with a client, the first week they need to track their macros to get a sense of what they are eating; and what we need to change. From there, they will start a custom nutrition plan that has their protein, carbs, and fats modified to meet their fitness goals.

When there is a big event coming up, women tend to stick to a nutrition plan more easily. But, the key is to stick to it all year long and make it your forever lifestyle. Nutrition is always the number one component to changing the body, which can ultimately change your life.

Social insights

In my opinion, the personal training business is changing. Instagram and Facebook have made it almost impossible for women to lead their lives without comparison. However, it’s a double-edge sword.

On the one hand, some people find these social outlets inspiring and aspirational; and a place to showcase their hard work. There are some really motivating people online who can help you stay accountable and on track to reach your goals; but with that also comes the possibility of not feeling good enough. This is where self-doubt can creep in. Ouch!

When I work with clients, I believe in motivation all the way! I help create a custom training and nutrition regimen based on the client’s goals and desires. If they want to look good in a bikini and share those “after” photos on social, then I’m all for it. But, if they choose to keep quiet about their transformation, that’s great as well.

I just want to empower women to make their own choices and feel good about whatever they decide to do.

With that in mind, I’ve developed a simple nutrition plan below that anyone can follow, even if it’s only a couple of weeks before your excursion (when you really want to dial it in).

Siera's Weekly Nutrition Plan

Week 1:

Breakfast:
1/2 cup of whole oats

1/2-cup egg whites

2 pieces turkey bacon

Snack:
1 Medium Apple

1 cup Greek Yogurt

1oz. Almonds

Post workout:
1 Nutrition shake

Lunch:
4 oz. grilled chicken breast

4 oz. sweet potato fries

1 cup mixed veggies

Snack:
1 Boiled Egg

1-Cup Grapes

1-Cup Skinny Popcorn

Dinner: 

Taco Bowl

4 oz. of chicken

1/2-cup brown rice

¼ cup black beans

2 Tbsp. sour cream

2 tbsp. salsa

1-cup lettuce

Week 2:

Breakfast:
1 Piece Whole Wheat Toast

1 Tbsp. Avocado Butter

1/2-cup egg whites

Snack:
1 oz. Turkey Jerky

1 Small Orange

Post Workout:
1 Nutrition shake

Lunch:
4 oz. chicken breast

1 cup cooked pasta with red sauce

1 cup mixed veggies

Snack:
1 cup Carrots

¼ cup hummus

Dinner:
4 oz. turkey meatballs

1-cup zucchini noodles

2 tbsp. pesto sauce

Remember, the most important thing a woman can do for herself is work towards a balanced, healthy lifestyle that is sustainable. I wish you luck and love in reaching your mind-body goals.

Good luck and have fun!

About the Author: Siera Capesius is a certified Personal Trainer and the Owner of MODEVO Fitness, the top fitness studio in Denver, Colorado. To reach Siera for more info, visit www.sierafit.com

MODEVO stands for Modern Fitness Evolved. Behind it stand the ideals of fitness, wellness and health to evolve people into the best version of themselves. Fitness is more than sweat and movement, it’s a feeling of accomplishment and proudness into improving ourselves daily.

Editor’s note: For another great article on eating for your heart, read  “Anti-Inflammatory Foods For A Healthy Heart”. Yum Yum! Have you got a food article or healthy recipes you’d like to share? Maybe a family recipe that you’ve been wanting to share to help other women lead a healthier life? Email us at [email protected].