So, I don't know about you, but this winter has just been ick! And I hate going to the gym when it's cold...heck, I hate going to the gym when it's warm, but when it's raining/snowing/cold forget about it!!! I have found a new love... exercising at home!! And forget the weather, who really has the money for a trainer...that's money that could be going towards a fancier cake or a fancier dress!!!! So I am going to give you a few of my tips to feel wedding dress ready without leaving your house.

List of things you will need

1. Set of resistance bands

2. Set of 5-8 pound weights and a set of 10-15 pound weights

3. Yoga Mat

4. Balance Ball

5. Computer

6. Your choices of DVDs.

I truly believe that what is listed above is all you need for a mini at home gym! It's that easy!! Make sure that you can rearrange your space so that you can feel move around freely without running into furniture. Most of these exercises don't need much room, but still.

Legs: Now leg exercises are super easy to do at home and trust me they will hurt! My three go to moves:

Sumo Squat holding Weight: Holding one heavy weight by the bell right in front of you, get into a grand pliet pointing toes pointed out. Simply squat down, butt going back and down, making sure your knees don't extend over your toes. Do 10-12 reps at least 3X's

Side Squat using Resistance Band: Slip resistance bands onto your ankles, begin with legs shoulder width apart. Step as widely as you can to the right, then return to center, then step as widely as you can to the left. That's one rep! Do 10-12 reps at least 3X's

Ball Squat lifting Weights: So this sounds complicated, but I swear it's not. First position the balance ball in the small of your back against a blank wall. Place your feet, wide, about two feet in front of you. Hold the lighter weights at your side. To do the squat roll down as low as you can go and as you squat down lift your arms from your side to parallel to the ground and return to standing. That's one rep, just like the others do 10-12 reps at least 3X's

Arms: Who says you can't get beautiful toned arms at home! Here are my fave moves:

Body Crossover Bicep Curls: There are as easy as they ever were! Using whichever weights you are comfortable lifting. Holding weights down by your side palms facing outwards, in one very controlled motion, lift one at a time up and to the opposite shoulder. Then repeat with the other arm. That's one rep. Do 10 reps at least 3X's

Tricep Kick Backs: Another simple classic move. Once again holding whichever weight is comfortable, down by your sides palms facing toward your body. Lean your body forward almost over your toes and slowly bring your arms back behind you as far as you can bring them, than slowly bring your arms up to your chest, never changing the position of your wrists. That's one rep. Do 10 reps at least 3X's

Push-Ups: Yep, push ups. I know they suck, but man do they work!!!! And there are so many different variations to help you tone up all over, but today lets just work on the basic. Now, don't be upset if you can't do the real deal at first, I couldn't, but after as little as one week doing "girl" push ups I could do a handful of "real" push ups...after another week I had doubled my number... so on and so forth! So, Place your hands on the ground palms facing forward or holding on to weights if you have crappy wrists like me, with arms right under your shoulders, your feet can be together or shoulder width apart depending on what you like. Then go press down. Yay, a push up! Do as many as you can, rest and try again. The goal should be 10 reps at least 3x's...have I said that before? ;)

Abs: Another super easy muscle group to work at home. Here are my go to moves:

 Crunches on Ball: The added Resistance from the balance ball will work your muscles even harder. So lay on the ball with legs at a 90 degree angle. Place your hands on your head, but don't look fingers. Then it's just doing what you know, contract your ab muscles and lift up. I would aim to do 20 reps at least 3X's...and once that becomes easy try doing 30, then 40, then 50...the sky is the limit. And to make this harder lift up one leg with each crunch...it's hard!!! Or Use a weight ball and take the ball from behind your head and bring it forward over your opposite leg that you are lifting to your chest. OUCHH

Oblique dead drop: Holding the heaviest weight you have in one hand down by your side. In a very slow and controlled motion let weight go slowly as close to the ground as you can get, then back up to standing. Do 30 reps on one side, then switch to the other for 30. Do this at least 3x's.

Bicycle Crunch: So you have done this before, you lift your upper body in a crunch while you move your legs like you are riding a bicycle. My way is a bit more painful... You do this similar, just slower... So what you do is lift up and crunches/bicycle movements 10X's quickly, then hold one leg and the crunch position for 25 seconds...then switch to the other leg for 25 seconds. Then to the 10 quick movements, then hold on both legs for 25 seconds. Do this for as long as your body can handle...and when you think you can't take anymore...do it one more time...

Okay, so those are a few of my favorite at home moves, but let me remind you to use the resources that you have, youtube is full of helpful tutorials to motivate you and teach you new moves. Also, invest in DVD's...my parents swear by P90X and trust me, my mom's abs are proof that it does. I am a currently obsessed with The Tracy Anderson Method. Anderson is the genius behind Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow's hot bodies!!! Her method uses very little outside materials. She basically believes that all weightlifting creates bulk(as questionable belief), so her method uses your own resistance and tooooons of repetition to make your body long and lean like dancers. Yes, you do have to dance around your house, but I put Rihanna and Britney on and dance myself skinny. It's more painful than any treadmill,trust me. I am obsessed, you can check her out at

http://action.tracyandersonmethod.com/ you can also try her method for free by checking out her website or www.goop.com for some sample exercises. Also, don't forget about fitness tv or fitness on demand, you may already have a ton of options right from your cable provider that you don't even know about.

Until we meet again, stay bridal and have a fabulously thin and buff wedding day.

Lauren