The operative word in today’s post by Kevin Jones is fit. As in, you’re gonna have to FIT into that wedding dress after all of the calories consumed on that binge-filled, booze fest of a bachelorette party you had! As you probably know from reading my posts over the years, I’m no authority on fitness. While I try to make time for a few hikes around my neighborhood each week, some days the only exercise I get is lifting my hand to my mouth to polish off a cocktail! But I have no imminent plans to squeeze into a wedding dress, and since YOU might, I thought I’d let a bona fide fitness expert share some advice on how to stay fit for your wedding! I’ll let Kevin take it from here…
“There is somewhat of a phenomenon that happens once the wedding date is set: a lot of brides (sometimes grooms, and often more than a handful of guests) want to start “shedding for the wedding.” To help them on the quest to their target weight, there are a ridiculous amount of fad diets and products that promise to help the hopeful lose unbelievable amounts of weight without dieting or without working out. Uhmm, they don’t work! So don’t do those! In fact, some of these diets and products are not particularly good for your health at all, and if you do lose weight, you’ll end up gaining it back and then some!
So let’s start with this: any lasting weight loss takes changes to your diet plus some sort of workout. Wouldn’t it be great to embark on this journey knowing that making small changes can not only keep you healthy and fit (and sane!) for your wedding but also for you happily ever after?!
Keep a food journal
Tracking what you eat helps you make more mindful decisions about what you put in your mouth as well as your calorie intake. Nowadays, there are apps that let you scan barcodes or enter a food a item, and then tell you the caloric breakdown of your meal. Handy, yes!
Eat breakfast
Start your day with a healthy meal to get all of the nutrients you’ll need to tackle even the most trying activities of wedding planning. (i.e. scouting for wedding venues with your mother-in-law!) Make sure your breakfast contains some healthy proteins and complex carbs to keep you energized through the morning.
Drink water
Lots of it! It’s easy to forget hydration when you’re running around, but it’s super important. And while it seems silly, the fact of the matter is, a lot of times our bodies mistake thirst for hunger, making us reach for a candy bar instead of a glass of water. What?! Don’t blame me! That’s what the body does. Check first: if you’re having a craving or feel hungry, have some water before grabbing a snack. It’ll probably do the trick.
Choose healthy snacks
Instead of having candy or ice cream try some greek yogurt (I like to put mine in the freezer), a piece of fruit or some baby carrots with a bit of hummus if you want some satisfying crunch.
Add some cardio
A jog in the morning, pilates, spin class, dancing, anything that gets your heart rate going. Do what you love! It’s important that you enjoy the activity because it will help provide an outlet for the stress that invariably occurs while planning a wedding. Be sure to add this to your calendar and commit to it. If it helps, have friend or your partner join in!
Be mindful during food tastings
You’re going to be tasting menu items and cake. Lots of cake! I know it’s hard to resist having ‘just a little more’ but you really only need a bite or two to make your decisions. On the days you have cake tasting scheduled, plan to reduce your sugar intake on the days that follow.
Limit alcohol
I know, you’re supposed to be celebrating, and what’s a celebration without booze?! But alcohol doesn’t have much nutritional value and too much adds extra calories. Plus, it lowers inhibitions and makes you feel like snacking, and before you know it, you’ll be popping open the Pringles and eating the whole canister! So go easy on the liquor, eh?
Limit simple carbs
With all of the food and cake tasting that is bound to happen, it’s unrealistic to suggest you completely avoid carbs. However, you can make little changes to your diet such as cutting back on bread or choosing brown rice instead of white rice. Complex carbs (read: vegetables and legumes) not only help you feel full longer but they also curb cravings in the long run.”
For more health and fitness info, you can find Kevin here. If you’re planning to get hitched, we’ve got tons of other amazing wedding tips and advice! Check out our article Autumn Weddings Call For A Cast Of Shimmer or Urban Glam Wedding Style.
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