Beauty from the inside out with Essex's Paul Lennon Personal Training

If you're a beginner when it comes to exercise, then how do you feel fitter for your wedding and active honeymoon?

Give yourself 12 to 16 weeks before the big day for training; this allows for sufficient physiological and aesthetic changes. Initially, some simple steps can be taken to see where you are:

- Hold a plank. Over two minutes is excellent, 45 to 75 seconds is average and below 45 seconds is poor.

- Do some press ups. More than 50 reps is excellent, 16 to 24 reps is average and below 15 reps is poor.

- Go for a 1km run. Under three minutes is excellent, 3.30 minutes to 4.29 minutes is average and more than 4.30 minutes is poor.

You'll want to exercise at least three times a week. This will have a positive impact on your metabolism in the short term, with noticeable improvements early on. Include a basic interval training session: run for one minute, then walk for two minutes for at least five rounds. This will help to burn calories, increase your fitness, improve your resting heart rate and improve the way you use the fuels from fat and glycogen.

For muscular work, time yourself for ten minutes completing ten reps of bodyweight squats, press ups (or half press ups) and sit ups. Try as many rounds as possible, then tally up your score at the end.

It's important to warm up for at least five minutes and cool down with some light stretches. You may experience muscle soreness two to three days afterwards, which is normal. Allow your body to recover before exercising again to help prevent injuries.

Paul Lennon | Paul Lennon Personal Training | www.ptdistinction.com/paullennonPT