Health and Fitness Advice for Prom

With prom quickly approaching and endless dress and accessories shopping, we can easily forget to get the main part of ourselves ready: our body. Who doesn’t want to look and feel amazing on prom night! With our nutrition and exercise tips, we are here to help you look and feel confident on the big night.

Set SMART Fitness Goals

The SMART goal-setting framework can apply to just about anything, including your health and fitness goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. An example of a SMART health and fitness goal for the prom might be something like “I want to lose 10 pounds by prom night, which is 3 months from now.”This goal is specific and measurable because it lists the particular amount of weight the person wants to lose. It is also achievable and realistic for most people to lose 10 pounds in a 3-month period, and it gives a clear end date. Sounds like a SMART goal to us!

Drink Up

Whether you want to lose weight, clear your skin, or just have more energy on prom night, start prioritizing hydration. Drinking water keeps all of your organs functioning properly (after all, your body is 60 percent water), and it helps to reduce bloating and prevents headaches. Keep a water bottle with you throughout the day so you don’t forget to drink regularly. You can also make your water a little more fun by adding sliced fruit, herbs like mint, or a sugar-free flavoring packet.

Avoid Crash Diets

The problem with crash dieting is that the results rarely last. These diets are also hard to stick to. You might be able to follow them for a few days or weeks, but you’ll eventually (in most cases) get so hungry that you give up and overeat because you’ve been depriving yourself. This isn’t going to help you reach your fitness goals faster, is it?

Eat More Protein

Protein is an essential macronutrient that, among other things, helps you to build muscle. Why would you want more muscle? Won’t that make you look big and bulky? Nope! When you have more muscle mass, your metabolism increases. This means you can burn more calories while you’re exercising and when you’re just going about your day. Make sure you have a protein source (lean meat, fish, eggs, tofu, etc.) with every meal or snack. This will also help you stay full, which makes it easier for you to resist cravings for high-calorie foods.

Focus on Fruits and Veggies

Make sure you’re eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, too. Fruits and vegetables are tasty, low-calorie options that will help to fill you up and add some extra flavor to your snacks and meals. As a bonus, they also contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are great for your skin, hair, and nails.

Lift Some Weights

Like the tip about protein mentioned above, this one might sound a little strange at first. Again, though, lifting weights will not automatically cause you to get big and bulky. On the contrary, it will help you to increase your muscle mass and your metabolism. This helps you burn more calories and reach your fitness goals faster. If you don’t have access to weights at home or a gym, you can also achieve these same results by doing bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats, and lunges.

Try HIIT Cardio

If you want to burn extra calories without spending hours on the elliptical, consider HIIT cardio instead. HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. It involves doing short bursts of high-intensity cardio followed by longer rest periods to bring the heart rate back down. This type of cardio helps you to burn more calories compared to regular cardio, and it doesn’t cause you to lose muscle (which can happen when you do extended amounts of cardio). 8. Get Plenty of Sleep

Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Sleep is essential for your body to recover from your workouts so you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Remember, sleep deprivation can slow down your metabolism, too, and may make it harder for you to reach your fitness goals.

Manage Your Stress

High school is a stressful time. There’s no getting around it. However, it’s important to find ways to manage your stress, especially if you’re trying to improve your health and reach certain fitness goals. When you don’t manage your stress, it’s easier to give in to cravings and harder to stick to your health and fitness routine. Try taking up yoga or meditation to reduce your stress. Spending time outdoors is another great (and free) option.

Look Beyond the Numbers

Finally, remember that numbers are not the end-all-be-all. Even if you don’t hit your exact target weight by prom night, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed or that you wasted your time. Focus on other aspects that have improved from your efforts over the last few months. For example, do you have more energy now that you’ve been drinking more water and eating more protein? Do your arms have more defined muscles because you’ve been lifting weights more frequently?

Those are all great things to celebrate as you zip up your prom dress and get ready to join your date on the dance floor.

Start Getting Prepped for Prom Today

If you’ve been feeling a little insecure or just want to shape up a bit before prom night, there are lots of steps you can start taking today to get ready. Follow the tips listed above and you’ll be ready to slip into the prom dress of your dreams in no time.

If you need help finding the perfect prom dress, check out our collection today. You can also follow us on Instagram for more inspiration.