Your wedding day is a stressful event to plan, especially when you know that, when the time comes, all eyes are going to be on you. Lots of brides work on their weight wellness in the run up to the big day, but how do you do that and take care of your overall wellbeing in the midst of the center-piece brainstorming and DJ haggling and bouquet choosing?
According to wellness writer Lexi Walters, ‘Losing your love handles isn’t going to make you a better bride – or even a happier one, as anyone who’s watched a carb-free wife-to-be lose her mind over place settings at the rehearsal dinner knows. No, getting yourself in shape before your wedding really can be summed up by two words: Super confidence!…Research shows that getting your heart rate up, working your muscles to capacity, and eating healthily can kick your brain into “I’m a superstar!” gear. So even if you won’t have 300 eyes staring at your bare biceps on your wedding day, fitting in regular pre-matrimonial workouts can keep you focused and feeling great – and what better way to start your new life?’
However, before you start adding a crazy weight loss plan to your to-do list, make sure you know how to lose weight in a safe and effective way. Lynn Bode, a personal trainer with over 13 years of experience and the owner of the online fitness program WorkoutsForBrides.com, notes, ‘It’s imperative that a bride spend at least a little time educating herself on weight loss and fitness.’ For Bode, it all comes down to the “four critical principles”: cardiovascular exercise, good nutrition, strength training, and stretching. Bode asserts, ‘All four components are necessary to reach your goals in a healthy way.’ Once you have the right mindset in place, it’s time to look for your bridal workout plan.
‘Choosing an exercise and diet plan may seem harder than deciding on your reception venue,’ says Walters. ‘But as with any big decision, it just takes some narrowing of choices. Of course, whichever one you decide to follow, you’ll want it to offer maximum energy and fun – both during and after your workouts and meals.’ However, this is no ordinary weight loss plan; you have wedding-y things to consider:
1. The Dress: Think about the style, length, shape, and fabric of your dress. This will help you workout which areas of your body to target.
2. Your Body: Chances are you’ve chosen a dress to highlight your body’s assets and hide your trouble areas, but you should still bear these things in mind when choosing your weight loss plan.
3. Your Abilities: ‘Completing a marathon in two months is a lofty goal for someone who’s never owned sneakers,’ warns Walters. ‘Beginning a regular jogging routine, however, isn’t.’
‘Even though a bride may feel she is drowning in all the planning involved in a wedding, it will be very advantageous to also [create a detailed] weight-loss strategy,’ Bode points out. ‘A good rule of thumb is that you can lose between four and eight pounds in a month. If your wedding is only two months away, don’t fool yourself and cause unnecessary stress by vowing to lose 40 pounds. This will set you up for failure and probably lead to complete abandonment of your weight-loss efforts. Determine the true timeline you are working within and accept the realistic number you can achieve.’
Finally, make sure your plan actually involves eating well! Bode cautions, ‘Not eating enough can sabotage your weight-loss efforts just as much as overeating can. When you don’t eat enough, your body begins holding on to all the calories you consume and turns them into fat. So, even if you lose weight on a starvation diet, you won’t look good because the lack of nutrition will diminish your muscle mass while increasing your fat storage! If you just can’t find the time for home cooking, head to a healthy grocery store and pick up frozen food meals that aren’t drowning in chemicals and preservatives. Also, buy some healthy snacks that are portable for taking with you on-the-go.’
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