Find your best self before the wedding ceremony and read marriage, relationship, and wellness tips from Denver wedding officiant, Michael Moody.
Bridal Bootcamp Exercise Program: Legs/Upper Body/Core (30-40 Minutes)
Introduction
Time to be your own personal trainer in LoHi! You still need to exercise outside of your personal training sessions, right??? Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., position of the bench or cables) and perform 16 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 16 reps on each arm if you’re performing a single-arm exercise. Try to maintain a 140-160 HR (although it’ll fluctuate depending on the exercise). Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout. Let’s get you ready for your wedding ceremony in Denver, Colorado!
SUPERSET 1
1st: Prisoner squat
2nd: Pushup with feet on medicine balls (failure)
3rd: Side plank
60-second sprint/30-second break
4th: Squat jumps with a medicine ball at your chest
5th: Pullups/pullup assist machine
6th: Plank with alternating plate lift (extend your arm forward and lift the plate before switching)
60-second jump rope/30-second break
7th: Split squat jump with a medicine ball at your chest
8th: Burpee pushups off of the bench (hands on the edge of the bench instead of the floor to start)
9th: Medicine ball toss at the wall while rotating
60-second Stairmaster/30-second break
10th: Alternating single-leg squat with dumbbell hammer
11th: Pushups with your feet elevated on a bench
12th: Mountain climbers with a twist (30 seconds)
60-second break
Push yourself to new levels with a personal trainer in LoHi! / Photo: The Lazy Artist Gallery
SUPERSET 2
1st: Walking lunge with dumbbell press overhead
2nd: Pullup/pullup assist machine
3rd: Cable chopper with a step (alternating sides)
60-second sprint/30-second break
4th: Alternating step-up with medicine ball toss and catch
5th: Pushup with alternating dumbbell lift (see picture)
6th: Alternating toe-touch crunch
60-second Stairmaster/30-second break
7th: Alternating backward lunge with cable row
8th: Squat with the shoulder press while rotating
9th: Alternating leg lift while planking
60-second jump rope/30-second break
10th: Step-up from kneeling position with a medicine ball extension
11th: Pullup/pullup assist machine
12th: Bicycle crunch
Naptime!
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which back and chest exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include an even ratio of back and chest exercises instead?
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver as well as other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, Golden, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
Wedding Planning Tips
Weight Loss Plan Phase 1: Examining Your Situational Experiences with Food
“Knowing is half the battle (I think that’s what someone said once....).”
INTRODUCTION
Complete the "Situational Experiences with Food" questionnaire below. It’s that simple, right? Unfortunately, not. It actually requires quite a bit of reflection. Even armed with the perfect optimal or weight loss diet, your ingrained social or cultural habits will influence you more than you realize. Today’s step may be the most important.
Who’s really in control when eat in different environments? / Photo: Cottonbro
SITUATIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH FOOD
Your intent isn't to eliminate the eating experience from your life. It's to heighten it from day-to-day (not just on special experiences)! To do this, you must examine your relationship with food in various situations over the 1-2 weeks. While you may need to dig into the memory bank to answer a few of these questions, try to use present examples as often as possible (we are examining your current trends and patterns, after all). By the way, you'll notice reoccurring questions in each category (important for comparison).
Restaurant Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience IN A RESTAURANT with friends and/or family? Any particular elements? Do you typically order meals that you never make at home? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.? Be specific when describing different scenarios. My example: I love sharing a dining experience in a new (neighborhood-size) restaurant with 3-4 other people (6 or more gets too cliquish to me). We order 5-10 different dishes and share them while we taste a variety of exquisite big red wines. No dessert is necessary to complete my experience.
-Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? E.g., Mama needs her Old Fashioned before the steak, and compound butter hits the table :) (there goes Mama and her Old Fashioneds again!) Sidenote: My great-grandmother (Nani) always drank a Manhatten before dinner with my great-grandfather.
At-Home Dinner Party Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience AT HOME with friends and/or family? Do you serve appetizers or other dishes you typically don't day-to-day? Any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what?
Vacation Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience ON VACATION with friends and/or family? Any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? My example: If I'm near a body of water, I'll most certainly order fish or seafood for many of my meals.
Day-to-Day Eating
-What defines an enjoyable eating experience DAY-TO-DAY? Any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? My example: If my work schedule bleeds into the evening, the prep time for a meal will diminish exponentially.
In-the-Office/At-the-Laptop Eating
-What defines an enjoyable eating experience while working IN-THE-OFFICE or AT-THE-LAPTOP? And, yes, I said enjoyable. What would an enjoyable eating experience look like while professionally multi-tasking? Any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? My example: My meals tend to be served in a pyrex dish next to my laptop so that I can mindlessly fork my veggie mix into my mouth. Insert trough joke here.
When-I'm-Stressed/Tired Eating
-What do you tend to grab when you're stressed or tired?
-How do your portions vary when you're stressed or tired?
Eating with Particular People
-Do you tend to eat differently with different people? If so, describe the differences. My example: Ill eat more plant-based options with my friend Craig than with my buddy Jeff. I may consume more alcohol with Stu than I would with Erik.
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver as well as other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, Golden, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
Wedding Planning Tips
Weight Loss Plan Recap: The Game Plan / Immersive Experience
“Create a business plan for your life and you’ll find a clear direction on your path.”
Introduction: Your New Beginning
I know what you're thinking - "Uh-oh, here's Michael with all of his words again. Words, words, words, etc., etc, nutrition this, nutrition that." Believe it or not, this email is really meant as a quick reference guide. Most importantly, it will guide our next set of activities to help you rewire into a new, optimal you! Please review it carefully, and then we'll discuss it. If you need motivation, check out The Evolution of My Personal Diet! Don't forget to review the quick resource guide at the bottom!
A sidenote: A diet full of vegetables has evolved from the typical side dish of asparagus next to your piece of Midwestern steak to the salad served in the local diner before the main course. Any pivot out of your status quo/routine may feel uncomfortable, and you may also feel a bit of uncertainty and frustration. As a former player in the restaurant industry and a long-time food and drink enthusiast, I assure you that plant-based options are now overwhelming in flavor and bursting with creativity. I'm not asking you to jump in 100% for your health. A pivot of 20% may offer incredible dividends, too. Be a researcher and seek out the best of what's out there (just as you may have done with your traditional meat preparations, soups, and stews).
PART 1: ESTABLISH THE WEIGHT LOSS GAME PLAN
Here's our adaptable game plan for your diet over the next 4 weeks. Please note that many of the phases will overlap.
PHASE 1: Assessing the trends and patterns of you (Week 1)
-Complete the 3-day diet log
-Experiment with several quick and easy dietary changes/pivots
-Complete the taste and texture profile
-Complete the emotional association assessment
-Complete the situational assessment of food choices (e.g. social settings versus when stressed)
PHASE 2: Laying the foundation of eating (Weeks 1/2)
-Establish the dietary anchors based on your "needs" (the "wants" come later)
-Introduce the principles of diet and the science behind digestion and absorption as well as your biological clock and circadian rhythm
-Highlight Fuhrman concepts and principles that relate to your dietary approach.
PHASE 3: Testing (Weeks 2/3)
-Reframe anchors into a pyramid (not your parent's food pyramid)
-Introduction of the 10 phases of dietary change and reassess every 2 weeks (or sooner) based on progress
-Introduction of self-assessment/fostering dietary awareness
-Introduction of several meal plans
PHASE 4: Creating a new normal (Weeks 3/4)
-Create a base meal plan from our observations, tests, books, and many, many resources
-Assess the meal plan every 2 weeks
Time to plant the seed for a new approach to weight loss. // Photo by Ella Olsson
PART 2: IMMERSE YOURSELF
We're building a new normal, and its time to pull from multiple resources and hold ourselves accountable. Joining vegan, plant-based, and fitness-related social media groups have added another layer of motivation and accountability, though. I'm more likely to choose a healthier plate because I take a photo and share it with the world.
I'm also more likely to maintain a healthier mindset when I'm consistently reading self-improvement and nutrition books. At times, these books are feeding me new information, but the real value is the reminder and the mental structure I maintain while digging in daily. My crazy mind, when tamed, is an incredible force that amplifies the enjoyment of experiences. It drives my endeavors. It could also be a wild beast if not contained. Think about how you want to tame your inner beast.
RESOURCES TO CREATE AN IMMERSIVE DIETARY EXPERIENCE
Indulge in these resources. You're more likely to stick to your path if you immerse yourself with the content and lifestyle!
* Cooking Websites: Cookie and Kate, The Minimalist Baker, Rainbow Plant Life
* The Elements of Being Instagram Page: Check the recipes that Sammy and I have made over the last 12 months!
* Eat for Life book: If you need science to back up alllllllllllllllll of my thoughts on nutrition.
* End of Dieting book: Breakdown on nutrition, meal plans, and recipes in the back.
* Tools of Titans book: If you want to learn about the habits of successful people from different industries. It might help to see what other habits people use to reach their goals.
* Redefine Yourself book: Hahahahahaha.....how did this get on the list? It's a simple guide to help you steer reflection and refine your cycle of awareness, acceptance, and adaptation. That's why!
* Listen to "The Elements of Being" podcast episode #10 with Dr. Fuhrman: If you find yourself saying, "Hogwash," you may want to explore the reasons. Do you wish to change, or do you want to continue your same habits because it's familiar and easier, though less comfortable?
* Cookie and Kate Cookbook (vegan and vegetarian options)
* The Minimalist Baker Cookbook (vegan and vegetarian options)
* The Game Changers documentary: The documentary dispels the common misconceptions about nutrition through the lens of the active person. I must emphasize an important point here: The principles apply to males and FEMALES.
* What the Health documentary: An excellent documentary that demonstrates the compromised nutritional influences on our lives and the power of a plant-based approach.
* Whole-Food-Plant-Based-Diet.com Facebook Group: People posting food pictures, recipes, and inspirational stories.
* Chicago Vegans Facebook Group: Annnnnnnnd more people posting food pictures, recipes, and inspirational stories.
* Train with Michael Moody Fitness!!! Another shameful plug, yes.
Time to plant the seed for a new approach to weight loss. // Photo by Ella Olsson
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver as well as other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, Golden, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
Wedding Planning Tips
Bridal Bootcamp Exercise Program: Legs/Shoulders/Core (30-40 Minutes)
Introduction
Time to be your own personal trainer in LoHi! You still need to exercise outside of your personal training sessions, right??? Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., position of the bench or cables) and perform 12-15 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 12-15 reps on each arm if you’re performing a single-arm exercise. Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout. Let’s get you ready for your wedding ceremony in Denver, Colorado!
Bridal Bootcamp Circuit 1
1st: Stationary squat with arms raised in a V shape
2nd: Plank with your feet on a bench (30 seconds)
3rd: Cable chopper with a step (same side)
60-second break
4th: Squat with alternating lateral step and dumbbell hammer
5th: Alternating straight arm raise to the ceiling from the pushup position (30 seconds)
6th: Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
60-second break
7th: Squat from a seat with your hands behind your head (don’t round your back)
8th: Dumbbell shoulder press
9th: 60-second jump rope, Stairmaster, or bike
60-second break
10th: Single leg squat while holding a bar (keep your torso squared)
11th: Prone shoulder raise on a bench
12th: Mountain climbers with a twist (30 seconds)
60-second break
Stretch your body to new boundaries before your wedding ceremony in Denver! / Photo: Dinielle De Veyra
Bridal Bootcamp Circuit 2
1st: Walking lunge with straight arm rotation (rotate arms until they’re above the knee in front)
2nd: Deadlift, dumbbell hammer curl, and dumbbell shoulder press (1 fluid movement)
3rd: Cable chopper with a step (alternating sides)
60-second break
4th: Step-up with a medicine ball at your chest
5th: Squat with a dumbbell shoulder press
6th: Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
60-second break
7th: Backwards lunge with dumbbell curl
8th: Kneeling dumbbell shoulder raise in front of armpits (thumbs up)
9th: 60-second jump rope, Stairmaster, or bike
60-second break
10th: Step-up and backwards lunge with dumbbells at your side
11th: 1 arm shoulder press on a seat
12th: Mountain climbers with a twist (30 seconds)
60-second break
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which back and chest exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include an even ratio of back and chest exercises instead?
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver as well as other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, Golden, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
Wedding Planning Tips
Bridal Bootcamp Exercise Program: Back/Triceps/Core (30-40 Minutes)
“True physical success begins with observation and reflection.”
Introduction
Time to be your own personal trainer in LoHi! You still need to exercise outside of your personal training sessions, right??? Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., position of the bench or cables) and perform 12 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 12 reps on each arm if you’re performing a single-arm exercise. Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout. Let’s get you ready for your wedding ceremony in Denver, Colorado!
Bridal Boot Camp Circuit 1
1st: Wide grip pulldown with a slight slant back or Assisted wide grip pull-up machine
2nd: Tricep cable pushdown with a bar
3rd: Plank on your elbows with alternating arm reach (45 seconds)
60-second break
4th: Wide grip pulldown with a slight slant back or Assisted wide grip pull-up machine
5th: Tricep cable pushdown with a curved bar
6th: Plank on your elbows with alternating arm reach and toes on medicine balls (45 seconds)
60-second break
7th: Wide grip pulldown kneeling on a Bosu or sitting on a stability ball or Assisted wide grip pull-up machine
8th: Tricep cable pushdown with a straight bar
9th: Squat and twist with the medicine ball at your chest (45 seconds)
60-second break
10th: 1 arm cable lateral pulldown
11th: 1-arm cable pushdown with a handle
12th: Plank with elbows on the floor and feet on the bench (45 seconds)
60-second break
Bridal Boot Camp Upper Body / Photo: Jonathan Borba
Bridal Boot Camp Circuit 2
1st: Wide grip cable row (knee height)
2nd: Tricep dumbbell kickback on the bench
3rd: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
4th: Wide grip cable row with squat (hip height)
5th: Tricep dumbbell kickback on the bench with a wrist twist
6th: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
7th: Close grip cable row seated on a stability ball (chest height)
8th: Pushup with your feet on the bench
9th: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
10th: 1 arm cable bow and arrow (chest height, row with a step back)
11th: Tricep dumbbell kickback on the bench
12th: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which back and chest exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include an even ratio of back and chest exercises instead?
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver as well as other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, Golden, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!