The plethora of diets, fitness options and weight-loss professionals can make getting in shape confusing. Luckily, Squeeze Training personal trainer Hannah Hopper has some good advice for brides.

What is the best way for a bride to get fit and healthy for her wedding and how much time should she allow? Getting fit and healthy is a lifestyle change for many people. This can be daunting as it usually means a shift in attitude, sacrifices and a lot of hard work. The first step is to identify your long-term health and fitness goals and then create short-term goals on how to get there.

The goals need to be specific, measurable and realistic. I ask each bride to consider the following: What do you want to achieve in the long term (lose fat, increase muscle definition etc), how much time can you use each week to achieve your goals, do you have commitments that might restrict you from achieving your goals, and what are your current fitness and eating habits.

There are three important elements of fitness - strength, stamina and suppleness - and exercise programs should include a combination of these.

There are really no shortcuts to changing a person's body. You need a consistent and efficient exercise program to make long-lasting changes. It is possible to make small changes in a few months but if a bride is looking for dramatic changes, then she should start as early as possible.

What health and fitness ideas make you cringe?

Unfortunately, we are bombarded with exercise myths and misinformation through many different mediums. Here are a couple of my favourites:

"I will bulk up if I lift weights." Wrong! Women do not have the levels of testosterone and human growth hormone required to 'bulk up'. All women should include some strength training in their exercise routine because increased lean muscle mass means a faster metabolism, which burns fat faster. But, to get the results you must work at a medium to high intensity.

"I need to go on a crash diet to lose weight." Wrong! Restricting calorie intake will initially cause rapid weight loss but it is mostly water and muscle tissue, rather than fat. Losing muscle tissue results in a slower metabolism so as soon as you return to normal eating, the weight is regained (and then some). To lose body fat effectively you need to combine a program of strength and cardio training with healthy and balanced eating.

What is a realistic weight loss for a woman during a 12-month period?

Take all weight loss slowly. The focus should be on making changes to exercise and eating habits that are sustainable over a long period of time.

It is realistic over a short period to lose 0.5kg-1kg per week. If a woman loses weight faster than this, the chances are that she will quickly regain it. It is also common for weight loss to plateau after six months. Over a 12-month period, losing 1kg a month is a great result.

Remember there are a variety of factors contributing to weight, including muscle, fat, bones, organs and water. What we're really interested in is lowering a person's body-fat percentage.

What do you say to people who want to target specific areas?

You cannot 'spot reduce' fat. Exercising specific muscle groups will lead to increased muscle size and definition but it will not burn fat from that area. You can't control where fat will be removed from your body - it is gradually lost from all over and genetics determine which areas you will lose weight from first.

For example, contrary to popular belief, slaving away doing countless sit-ups will not lead to a flat stomach. The most effective way to burn the layer of fat from your midsection is with a program of strength training, cardio training and healthy eating. Once the extra layer of fat has been removed, the muscles underneath look sculpted and lean.

How can brides maintain their fit and healthy lifestyle after the wedding is over and motivation is waning?

You need to create a new motivation for yourself by setting new goals. A good way of challenging yourself is to enter a fun run and devise an exercise program (with a series of short-term goals) to ensure success. The goal-setting process can be applied to any fitness activity.

Choose exercise activities that you enjoy. It is no good forcing yourself to pound away on the treadmill if you loathe running. If you enjoy competing, find a local sports competition such as basketball or netball. You'll also develop a new set of skills.

Make sure you vary your exercise activities. There is nothing wrong with having a routine but a variety of different activities will keep you interested.

Finally, find the time. Don't make excuses.