Wedding Do’s and Don’t s for Losing Weight

Wedding Do’s and Don’t s for Losing Weight

There is no question about it. You have to lose weight for your wedding but how do you do it right and ensure that you do not sabotage your big day? A wedding can be a lot of pressure especially when you feel the need to look perfect. Well, if you are one of those who might already be at the point of panic thinking about your fast-approaching wedding day, then you have to find comfort in the fact that you are not alone. A hundred and sixty three grooms-to-be were surveyed and it was found that 39% attempted to shed major pounds before their weddings. However, research also has it that after the wedding, the same pressure to lose the extra pounds made spouses face some negative consequences.

In 2014, a study on brides revealed how those who were coaxed to lose weight before their wedding significantly gained more weight after the wedding in comparison to those who were not told to lose weight. In case you do decide that you want to shed some pounds though before your special day, then here are the dos and don’t s to keep in mind:

• Don’t crash diet

The thing about juice-only cleanses, detox, and other so-called crash diets is that they offer extremely promising claims. But what they really are, quick-fix strategies that are unhealthy in the long haul. Yes, you do want to look good on your wedding day but don’t forget that the reason you are getting married is to spend a lifetime with the one you love. Now, how can you do that when after a crash diet, your body also crashed? When you drastically reduce your calorie consumption or deprive yourself of the complete food groups, then you are setting yourself for tiredness, moodiness, and the lack of energy to exercise. In addition, you likewise withhold your body from getting the essential nutrients that it needs.

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• Do take it nice and slow

Slow but sure applies to weight loss before your wedding. Professor Rose Marie Ward, Ph.D. of Miami University advises that you take it slowly and steadily and in numbers that is equivalent to 1 to 2 pounds each week. So yes, your diet has to start weeks and weeks before your wedding in order for it to be safe and effective. Starving yourself days before or on the day of the wedding is bound to leave you feeling bad and sluggish. Beachbody’s nutrition manager, Paige Benté, M.S., R.D advises against juice cleansing a week before your big day as you are sure to get stomach cramps when you sit down for dinner.

• Start as soon as you can

One very important tip that can help you become successful at losing weight is to start the earliest possible. If you do this, there will be no need to resort to quick fixes or diet pills that guarantee your weight loss but not your overall health and safety. Your strategy has to be sustainable and has to gear towards developing a lifestyle shift if healthy living wasn’t your priority. You are most likely to achieve your body goals when you do it over an adequate period of time instead of a month before your wedding date. Besides, you do want to look fresh and well-rested when you finally say “I do” and not look like you have aged 5 years older since you got engaged. Cody Braun is a fitness expert at Beachbody and he knows for sure how intense workout coupled with crazy diets will ultimately wear you out. And when you reach that point of exhaustion, your motivation is simply going to fly out of the window, wedding or not.

So right after you say yes to your partner’s proposal, start your weight loss program, follow a nutritional diet plan, and get on an exercise schedule which you are sure you will be able to adhere to. Have time for rest and recovery as these are important for muscle-building and developing a healthy body. Do not go overboard and kill yourself over training and cutting calories all at the same time because you’re running out of time. Besides, when you push your body to extremes, it will only resist fat loss in order to survive and you will see your whole plan backfiring at you. In this sense, start as soon as possible and see a happier, healthier you on your wedding day.

• Never buy a size smaller

Whether it’s a suit or a dress, you do not buy a size or two smaller than your current size. You might think that this will motivate you to lose weight but you should know better. How many pair of jeans have you not worn because they never fit you? That is the same way with a wedding dress or a suit. Remember that you are not just spending a few bucks on this dress or suit so you better make that hundreds of dollars or even thousands worth it. Bridal consultants call it a rash sizing choice if you buy a size that is too small for you. Elegant Occasions owner and wedding planner, JoAnn Gregoli recommends that you choose a suit or dress that fits you just right as the tailor can just make adjustments later. Do not forget that it is way easier to make it smaller if you have lost weight than to make it larger.

• Do get a buddy

A buddy system is the best way to hold you accountable for your weight loss efforts. It’s easy to back down when you are doing it alone but if you have a buddy or even a group of friends, it will be hard to just give up. Go ahead and ask you fiancée or fiancé, groomsmen or bridesmaids, or your maid of honor – anybody whom you know can help you toughen up. Whether it’s about hitting the gym or sticking to your diet, a buddy can really do a lot to motivate you and make you feel less pressured about all the changes you need to make when you have him or her to share it with. Your buddy can be your source of strength when you feel like giving up and forgetting about making healthier choices. Think about your buddy as your backup support system and weight loss coach.

• Exercise with a push

Your wedding is not going to get pushed at a later date so each day before that matters. Jogging steadily on the treadmill is not gonna cut it. You have to give it an extra push, and HIIT or high-intensity interval training could be exactly what you need. Braun agrees that HIIT has shown to be very efficient in burning fat and building muscle. What happens is that while you do the HIIT, you burn loads of calories and then it also elevates your metabolism after your workout for as long as 72 hours. Your body efficiently repairs the micro trauma that resulted from your workout and then adds more muscle tissue that will prepare you better for your next workout.

You see, muscle growth and repair is made possible with prolonged increments of energy expenditure and with high-intensity workouts like HIIT or weightlifting, this is boosted to a higher level better in comparison to jogging or other low intensity workouts. So choose workouts that incorporate strength training and HIIT for that extra push including CORE DE FORCE or Body Beast, both by Beachbody.

• Don’t dwell over bridal mags

Bridal magazines are like heaven, especially for a bride. However, most of these mags tend to make you feel pressured about losing weight like it’s the only thing that matters. If anything, you should be wallowing in a mindset that’s all for positive body image and not physical perfection. Certainly, it is understandable to set a goal to lose weight, feel great, and stay healthy but try not to forget about what the wedding ceremony is really going to be about. Ward suggests that you focus on how you want your big day to be like; what kind of memories you want to make; and what you want the people you love to feel. Most often than not, all these have nothing to do with you losing massive amounts of fat.

• Transition to healthier eating gradually

Just like any other change that you need to make that you want to be sustainable, you have to transition to healthier ways of eating one day at a time. Change is a process and you have to go through it gracefully especially when it comes healthy eating. Do not aim for a massive overhaul at day one and instead plan your diet changes well over the course of the weeks and months. Going from everyday fast food to everyday salad is simply not realistic. Make small changes that lead up to your ultimate goal. Celebrate your small successes as well so can you keep yourself inspired and motivated.

• Do not make being busy an excuse

If you are determined to lose weight in time for your wedding, then you have to set aside time for exercise. It should be a non-negotiable appointment on your calendar. At the College of Charleston, South Carolina, Lisa McQuade, M.A., is a Sport and Exercise Psychology professor. She has observed how not having time for exercise is often pointed out as a major reason for skipping the gym and all other places for exercise. What with planning a wedding, working, taking care of loved ones, and all the other stuff that you need done, you are almost certain you would have no room for exercise time – whatever form of exercise that might be.

What you need to realize is that, when you exercise, you will see how more efficient you will become at completing all these tasks. Remember that you need more energy to meet up with vendors, do nonstop wedding research, and check out various venues. And when you are feeling weak and exhausted all the time due to lack of exercise, then you are bound to feel stressed out at the end of the day. With adequate exercise however, McQuade says that you will be enabled to deal with stress positively. You simply have to choose an exercise plan that will fit into your current lifestyle and be able to implement it as scheduled. If you can’t do full hour workouts, you can go for quick high intensity training or spread out short bursts of intense physical activity throughout your day. Home workouts are also best when you are too pressed for time. There are so many home videos to choose from as well as online streaming exercise videos – all you have to do is press play.

• Set goals that are S.M.A.R.T

You may have heard this a thousand times but losing weight for your big day will require setting goals that are specific and measurable; attainable and relevant; and of course timely. Be specific about the numbers that you are targeting such as the number of pounds you intend to lose and for how many weeks. Your long-term goal then is to reach a certain number on the scale before your wedding day. After distinguishing your long-term goals, you can then set short-term goals that will help you achieve the long-term ones. When you are able to achieve the short-term goals, then it is almost guaranteed that you will also hit your ultimate goals. It is also for your own safety that you have to have short-term goals so you do not injure yourself or make yourself sick from starvation or over training.

• Plan and prepare healthier meals

Wedding planning is no joke and you need a strong strategy against emotional eating and making impulsive food choices. It is important that you plan your meals ahead of time so that you can stay healthy even when you are feeling stressed. Make meal planning your strongest weight loss strategy. Only include quality meals that will make you healthier as you lose weight. Prepare them yourself and store them for your convenience and for something to easily reach for in times of need. This way, you do not have to rely on ordering your not-so-healthy comfort food to be delivered to your apartment or grabbing the junk food that you have kept in your cupboard.

Are you ready to lose weight, build muscle, or feel more fit? Join Beachbody On Demand, and get unlimited access to Beachbody’s world-famous programs, including 80 Day Obsession, Liift 4, 21 Day FIX®, Body Beast, Insanity, P90X®, 21 Day Fix Extreme, T25 and 100’s more. Don’t miss out on your chance for amazing results. Sign up today!