Wedding Weight-Loss: New Year, New Goals

I hope everyone had a very happy new year and is looking forward to a fantastic 2014! I know I am — as I told my fiancé Rene last Tuesday night when the ball dropped, this is our year!

rene and jen on new years eve

As did most people with the start of a new year, I made some resolutions I plan on keeping.

1. Lose another 40 pounds.
2. Get healthier.
3. Save money.
4. Take more time to enjoy life.
5. Smile more.

I've made these resolutions before, but I've never kept them, which is what happens to most of us. The difference this year is that I’m already half way there, and once you see results and have your heart set on the end prize, there is no turning back. My success so far in the past seven months helps me trust that I will meet my goals and resolutions — and you can, too. If you put your mind to it, and you don’t let anything or anyone get in your way, it can happen. I hope this helps motivate you to achieve your resolutions this year, because it really is possible, no matter what the resolution is.

While on the treadmill last week, I decided I was going to increase my workouts for the month of January. This morning, I woke up at 4:30 instead of 5 (crazy, I know), and did 30 minutes on the treadmill before my 30 minute spin class, burning tons of calories before I even started my day!

The New Rules: When You Should (and Shouldn't) Use Email or Social Media

In The Emily Post Institute's latest book, Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette: 6th Edition, Emily's great-great-granddaughters Anna and Lizzie Post tackle modern-day wedding questions that the original etiquette expert never could've dreamed about, from how to use (wisely) use technology, the rules for same-sex weddings, and much more. Here, the fourth generation of Posts tackle the big question of when you should (and shouldn't) take advantage of email and social media.

bridesmaids with iphones taking picture of the bride
Photo Credit: CINEMATICbyDavidM

Meet Neda, Our New Real Bride Blogger

My fiancé Chris and I met through one of my best friends, Amanda. He was a security guard at the nightclub where she worked as a bartender. He would always talk to her about the challenges of dating in his '30s, given the unpredictable and odd hours that he worked (he's a police officer by day). Meanwhile, I would talk to her all the time about the difficulty of being a fitness competitor and TV news reporter, trying to find time to date someone with common interests.

After she learned our inner workings for over two years, it dawned on Amanda that Chris and I would be perfect together. Originally, I was hesitant about dating a bouncer (I told her that "It's not like I'm trying to get into da club!") but I quickly learned that there was so much more to Chris.

He is a compassionate, patient, honest, hardworking and hilarious man with a love (I prefer to use the word "obsession") for Giants baseball. Being a bouncer at "da club" was how he made extra money to buy Giants game tickets. Amanda's hunch led to a love that we had both only ever dreamed of — we quickly realized that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.

giants game

Fast-forward one year: Chris was secretly planning to re-enact our first date by taking me to Auburn, California's Hidden Falls, where he was going to propose. However, a week before his big plan, I was scheduled to run in the Triple Tahoe — three marathons in three days at the age of 33 years old. It was my lifelong dream to be proposed to at the finish line of a race but I never told Chris because I would have been happy with any proposal.

January 7th

Photo Credit: Silvana Di Franco on The Lab Event via Lover.ly

Tip of the Day: Make it easy for your guests to dig into their take-home edible favors! Attach a mini spoon to each little jar of pudding pie, apple pie, or layered trifle, so that they can enjoy their favor jar sooner – maybe even on the party bus to the reception. You’ll find these little wooden spoons in craft stores and even in supermarkets on the cheap.

Plus, check out Better-Than-Store-Bought Edible Favors. Visit sharonnaylor.net for more great wedding tips and advice.

"American Horror Story" Wedding on the Way!

American Horror Story: Coven fans, here's one plot twist we didn't see coming — co-stars Emma Roberts and Evan Peters are engaged to be married in real life!

The 22-year-old actress met Peters, 26, while filming the dark comedy Adult World, and they began dating in the spring of 2012. Extra reports that the onscreen-offscreen lovers put a ring on it — a pink gold diamond sparkler, to be exact — during the holidays in London. (We think Madison Montgomery would approve, no? Franken-Kyle couldn't be reached for comment.)

emma roberts engaged to evan peters
Photo Credit: Emma Roberts / Instagram

In an interview with Nylon magazine, Roberts reveals that she and Peters "didn't get along at first," but their platonic relationship heated up a few months later ("which worked out for the best").

Like her famous aunt, Julia Roberts, she believes in true love: "I come from the school of getting married once. Every relationship should be important. Everyone kind of rolls their eyes at me, but I still believe in the romantic movie outcome."

Congratulations to the happy couple!

—Stefania Sainato

January 6th

Photo by: Crate and Barrel on Engaged & Inspired via Lover.ly

Tip of the Day: If you get a crazy-generous wedding gift or bridal shower gift from someone, you might think you're being proper by thanking the giver (and snapping a photo of the present) on Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media platform. However, your other gift-giving friends and relatives could get their feelings hurt — you don't want to inadvertently offend them by posting some gifts and not others. Avoid this etiquette mishap by texting a fun photo of you using the registry product or service in question to the gift-giver only.

Plus, check out What You Should (and Shouldn't) Post About Your Wedding on Social Media. Visit sharonnaylor.net for more great wedding tips and advice.

Keep Your New Year's Resolutions!

bonne marcusGuest blogger: Bonne Marcus
A fitness industry expert for 27 years, Marcus holds numerous certifications from the Aerobic Fitness Association of America (AFAA), including Step, Spin, Bosu™, Pre/Post Natal, Youth Fitness, Aqua, and Personal Training. She has taught for New York City’s top health clubs, including Crunch, New York Health and Racquet, and Reebok Sports Club. A recognized name on Long Island, Bonne has taught at Dany Holdstein’s Two Worlds, North Shore Health Club, LA Fitness, Sport time, Equinox and currently teaches at the Sid Jacobsen JCC in Roslyn. Learn more at getfitwithbonne.com.

woman exercising
Photo Credit: iStock/Maridav

"This year, I resolve to..." How many of us recite these words as the ball starts to drop, only to feel less-than-motivated by February? Don't despair — lack of motivation strikes even the most disciplined exercisers. Try to remember how good you felt about yourself after completing your workout, and be proud that you've started a program at all. Then, follow these handy tips to keep yourself going.

"Hangover" Star Gets Hitched!

He may have played an anxious groom who had the most hell-raising bachelor party in history, but offscreen, Justin Bartha's wedding was picture-perfect!

The Hangover actor, 35, got hitched to his longtime girlfriend, Lia Smith, at Kualoa Ranch in O'ahu, Hawaii over the weekend. The ceremony took place at the venue's historic fishing pond, followed by a reception in the same valley where scenes from The Hunger Games were filmed.

kualoa ranch
kualoa ranch
Photo Credits: Kualoa Ranch

Their intimate yet star-studded guest list included Reese Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth (Bartha's agent), The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg and Bartha's Hangover co-star Ken Jeong. (No word yet on whether anyone from "The Wolf Pack" attended.)

An eyewitness tells Us Weekly that "They were sweet together and looked very in love. He was holding her bouquet for her and walked with his arm around her after the vows. She had a big smile on her face and nuzzled her face up to his neck. Their family and friends seemed so happy for them and had an incredible time hanging out in Hawaii leading up to the wedding."

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