After all, a toning shoe that promises a better butt, stronger core and weight loss seems like the perfect answer for a bride like you who can’t always make it to the gym.   The big question is: do toning shoes really work?

Do Toning Shoes Help You Get a Better Butt?

How Toning Shoes Work

Most toning shoes attribute greater lower body muscle activation to their shoe’s unstable walking surface.  By creating this unstable surface, studies sponsored by the manufacturers say you can recruit anywhere between 11%-41% more leg muscles just by walking in their shoes versus traditional walking shoes.

Reebok EasyTones are based on their “balance ball” technology and others like Sketcher Shape Ups, Avia Avi-Motion, New Balance Rock & Tone and Ryka Reform rely on a “rocking” technology to create an unstable surface which ultimately changes your walking gait and posture.  If you’ve ever tried on a pair of toning shoes, you notice the instability as soon as you stand.  In response, you feel your muscles activate to correct this instability. That must mean you’re working harder, burning more calories, right?

An independent toning shoe study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) wanted to find out just that.

Independent Toning Shoe Study

Exercise scientist from the University of Wisconsin lead by Dr. John Pocari conducted 2 separate toning shoe tests. One to determine if more calories are expended by wearing toning shoes. The other…

Brides Across America, an organization founded by Heidi Janson, is hosting their Nationwide Wedding Gown Giveaway for military brides throughout the month of July.  Bridal salons across the country are hosting the series of events where the free wedding dress are given away. To qualify, brides-to-be must be engaged, planning a wedding and either be serving in Iraq or Afghanistan or have a fiancee that is on active duty. Some paperwork is required, so check their website for details.

Each bridal salon or store has a limited number of wedding dresses to give away. So show up early. It’s on a first come, first serve basis.

That is the excuse I most often hear from brides-to-be as they try to find time for their wedding dress workouts before the big day.  And okay, I can sympathize, I’ve been there.  A wedding-stressed schedule isn’t something that is predictable. It’s difficult to stick to a workout schedule between the cake tastings and finding the perfect bridal accessories.

Sprinting for 20 seconds can burn more calories than an easy jog

When there isn’t time to be found, I tell my brides to try Tabata Training.

Tabata Training is based on a study which found that shorter, more intense bursts of exercises increases your anaerobic capacity. Why should you care about that? After all, you want to look hot in your wedding dress, not be in the Olympics.

Well, when you’re crunched for time, these shorter, intense exercise intervals (about 20 seconds) will increase your metabolism – more so than your typical quick jog through the neighborhood.  Plus, the high intensity Tabata Training burns more calories AFTER your workout as well. Burn baby burn!

[Read more about How to Boost Your Fat-Burn]

How to do Tabata Training in just 4 minutes.

1. Do a dynamic warm-up to increase your body temperature to reduce the possibilities of injuries
2. Choose a high-intensity exercise (high knees, squat jumps, push ups). Perform for 20 seconds.
3. Rest 10 seconds
4. Repeat 20 seconds exercises with 10 seconds rest 8 times. (that’s only 4 minutes!)

Next time you think about shelving your wedding workouts because of your busy schedule, start your day 10 minutes early. A quick Tabata Training workout will get your metabolism firing and burning more calories before you even hop in the shower. No more excuses.

Tonight, VH1 kicks off their summer reality series by sending 10 brides-to-be to bootcamp. Who will shape up and who will get shipped out?

Premiering at 10pm (9pm central), ten “flabby fiancés” will be divided into two “bridal parties,” and sent to a special boot camp designed to turn them into fit brides before their big day.

(From L to R) Contestants: Courtney, Lauren, Kacey, Kelley, Melissa, Amberly, Jamie, Tina, Tara and Tesha (Photo Credit: Matt Braley)

The Brides-to-be will be put through “Marital Missions” to lose enough weight to fit into their dream dress and survive a series of eliminations in hopes of winning the wedding of their dreams.

[Find out secrets to Boosting Your Fat Burn]

In each episode, the “bridal parties” will endure various challenges dealed out by fitness trainers Francesca Petrucci and Steve Pfiester. The winning group will receive immunity and the losing party heads to the “fitting room” to face the dreaded weigh-in and possible elimination. Facing uncharted waters these women will shed tears along with pound and find discipline, self-respect, happiness and hopefully the beautiful bride trapped inside.

The 60-minute premiere of “Bridal Bootcamp” will kick butt on Wednesday, June 9 at 10:00 PM followed by seven 30-minutes episodes every Wednesday following.

Get started with your own bridal boot camp at home. Learn Set Up Your Home Gym on a Budget

To help you tackle some of the tough situations you may face on your weight-loss journey, Bombshell Bride consulted Felicia Stoler, nutritionist and exercise physiologist and host of TLC’s Honey We’re Killing the Kids.

Injuries can be a sign that your body needs a rest from the Bridal Bootcamp you've been putting yourself through

Wedding Weight Loss Roadblock: You’re Injured.

The situation: Your exercise plan started out great but lately you’ve developed a nagging injury that is seriously getting in the way of your gorgeous-body goals.

Felicia’s Fix: Unrealistic goals and objectives can set you up for injury and failure. Sometimes, people who have not worked out, do too much, too soon and end up with overuse injuries. Cut back your exercise regime (stopping for a week or two if necessary) to allow your body to heal. Do not work through the pain. Doing so puts you at risk for ending up with an injury that will be seriously debilitating and will require you to give up exercise for an even longer period of time. You may also need to assess the exercise regimen to see if it is really helping you to meet your goals in a healthful manner. Remember, even pro athletes need time to let their bodies rest—make sure you have that as part of your routine.

More Wedding Weight-Loss Roadblocks:

Losing Motivation
Emotional Eating
Your Fiancé

Photo: Istockphoto/© Steve Debenport

Felicia Stoler

Felicia Stoler is host of TLC’s show “Honey We’re Killing the Kids,” a PR Chair and Past President of the New Jersey Dietetic Association, a Vice President of the Greater NY Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine, and a nutrition coordinator for the ING NYC Marathon.