Secrets to successful Wedding Day weight loss
Don’t panic!
OK, so you’ve known about this wedding for at least a year now. There is only a few weeks to go to your wedding and you haven’t gotten round to losing those pounds that you promised yourself you would. You are kicking yourself. Why did I not start this diet after Christmas? Well, you could have but you didn’t. What are you going to do?
Let’s get some perspective here. What HAVE you managed to do? Well, the venues are booked for the ceremony and the reception, the bridemaids’ dresses are ready, your’s is nearly done (you’re putting off the last fitting till the last minute), the cake and flowers are organized, the vintage car has been arranged, the honeymoon is booked, you’ve practiced your hairdo and make-up and already got the fights over guest lists and seating arrangements out of the way. You’ve had your hen party and are still alive. Phew! It’s been kind of stressful to say the least. Give yourself a break.
So finally you have some time to worry about how you are actually going to look on the day. Like, most brides-to-be you want to try to lose a couple of pounds for your wedding – you are, afterall, going to be looking back at the photographs in years to come and want to look your very best.
Many brides, however, try crash or faddy diets in the days or weeks coming up to their wedding as a last minute solution. Now, surprisingly enough, eating 16 grapefruits a day is not the best way to go about looking beautiful, radiant and healthy on your big day.
Although it may be the last thing on your mind, it is particularly important to eat well and eat healthily before your wedding day. Be realistic. Dropping 3 stone in a matter of weeks just isn’t going to happen.
If you do have weight to lose, keep one important thing in mind: take it slowly. At this particular time in your life there is too much going on to take any risks with your health. Dropping 40lbs, or however many pounds you’d like to lose, WILL happen if you give it time.
Losing 1 to 2 pounds a week is a safe and healthy way to lose weight and keep it off. Eating cabbage soup for three weeks might help you get into that just-too-small wedding dress but you won’t feel or look healthy and the weight will come back on as soon as you start eating ‘normal’ food again – and that will be on your honeymoon!
Here’s our guide to eating healthily and losing weight in the weeks preceeding your wedding.
· If you have the luxury of time, get your calculator out. What is your target weight and how many pounds do you have to lose? Aim for a weight loss of 1 ½ pounds per week and add another month (you will probably need to have the last fitting for your dress a few weeks in advance and things may get a little crazy towards the end). Then set yourself a start date for your diet plan.
· If you don’t have the luxury of time, accept that you may not lose all you had hoped to and aim to lose no more than 2 pounds per week. You can still lose half a stone in a month. You can safely lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks and that’s a whole dress size for most people. It may not be exactly what you envisioned, but it will make a difference.
· It’s not all about stones and pounds. Eating a healthy balance of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meat, poultry and fish, while avoiding processed foods, will help keep your energy levels up and stop you feeling run-down, even at such a hectic time.
· Drinking plenty of water – around 8 glasses per day, will flush toxins out of your body and as well as helping you feel full. You will also see beauty benefits from a balanced and varied diet – glowing skin, shining hair, strong nails and bright eyes. No amount of make-up can compare to this natural vitality and this is the one time you really need to feel and look radiant.
· Have you always dreamt of wearing a strapless gown but are self-concious of your arms? You don’t have to be. Regular training with weights, or even a couple of tins of baked beans, which weigh about a pound each, will tighten and shape your arms and you will feel happier in your dream dress. It takes just 6-8 weeks for the effects of toning exercises to really show so you still have time!. Working out, whether at the gym, swimming pool or simply going for a walk, will help tone and shape your body.
· Get help! Get your bridesmaids, friends or family members involved in keeping you motivated to eat healthily and exercise regularly. Nearly everyone tries to lose weight for a wedding so everybody needs the help as much as you do!
Once you’ve concentrated on making the most of your body through healthy eating and exercise, there’s a lot you can do by simply chooing the right dress to suit you. To find the perfect gown, you need to be armed with two vital pieces of information: firstly, your body shape and secondly, the dress style that will suit your shape.
Let’s start with the basic dress shapes:
· The traditional ballgown has a full bodice and a very full skirt
· An empire-style gown has a high waistline (just below the bust) and falls into a slimmer skirt
· The A-line or princess shape flows from the shoulders to a flared skirt, creating an A shape
· A sheath dress is quite figure-hugging with a straight skirt
No matter what your size, one of these styles will suit you – you just have to assess what shape you are and the perfect dress for you won’t be hard to find…
· If you are lucky enough to have an hourglass figure (big chest and hips with a small waist), an A-line dress or one with a dropped or basque waist will show this off beautifully. Avoid ballgowns or empire styles as they may make you look slightly out of proportion
· If you have a short torso (the distance from your ribs to your hips is quite small), the fitted bodice and full skirt of a princess line gown will elongate your figure. A sheath dress will only make this more obvious.
· An empire line can disguise a thick waist, giving you a long, thin look. The fitted waist of the princess style will only draw attention to this area
· On the classic pear shape (small on top and heavier on the bottom), a basque waist or ballgown, especially an off-the–shoulder or strapless dress, will cover your lower half while focusing on your good points. A sheath dress will not be flattering
· A basque waist which gives the impression of an hourglass figure can flatter a fuller figure. A ballgown or an A-line dress will also flatter this figure. You may want to avoid certain styles can make you look heavier: sheath dresses, spaghetti straps and shiny fabrics, for example, and you may feel more comfortable wearing sleeves if you are self-conscious about your arms
· If you are thin, you can wear any of the dress-shapes but avoid off-the –shoulder or halter-neck numbers if your collarbones are bony
· If you are on the petite-side, avoid large patterns which can be overwhelming, while if you are very tall, you might like to choose a sheath dress or bias cut if you want the full skirt
Once you’re eating well, exercising regularly and have the dress to die for your are doing everything you can to make the most of yourself. Like we said at the beginning, DON’T PANIC! Relax, take care of yourself, get plenty of sleep and enjoy your day!
