Tips For Getting Wedding Ready | Part 1
Author: Katrina Tecxidor: Owner and Operator of Fan Fit Go
Be sure to stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon!
There you are, getting ready for the “big day.” You have the location for your wedding, the florist is all set, your cake has been picked out, and the DJ lined up. Now it's time to buy your dress. The next hurdle inevitably comes your way, how do you drop weight in a short amount of time? Most people tend to plan a year before the big day while others have less time. No matter how long you have until that big day, time goes by quickly. Let’s face it, between work obligations, friends, and family, we all lose track of helping to take care of ourselves. Sometimes we neglect our bodies and reach for comfort foods and skip the gym. Here are 7 things to know when getting into wedding shape that you’ll need to know.
1) Have realistic expectations
First and foremost, you need to have realistic goals and expectations while you get into wedding shape. I put this first because many of us want a quick and painless answer to the harder complex questions. Sure, you can drink one of those “48-miracle drinks” right before your wedding, but essentially all your doing is losing water weight. It’s temporary and unsafe because your weight will bounce back quicker than you can imagine. Instead, find a routine, diet, and exercise regime that works for you. Reframe from fad diets or extreme measures to lose weight.
If weight loss is your plan than 2 or 3 pounds a week is realistic. The more extreme the diet, the more likely your weight is to bounce back. Anything more than 2 or 3 pounds a week is possible, but hard to maintain. Your body can do amazing things but know your limits. Push yourself in every workout, but if that soreness you feel the next day turns into extreme pain, stop and see a doctor if need be. Muscles should not be sore for more than 48 hours. Chances are if you’re sore for longer than that amount of time, that means that you over worked that area.
Generally, going on a fad diet or even skipping breakfast can have the opposite effect as to what you may think. While some short-term weight loss may occur, dramatically curbing calories might lead to a cascade of hormones that cause people to end up retaining more fat in the long run. If you're skipping meals and no longer are eating at regular intervals, your metabolism slows down because the body thinks it is starving and tries to retain nutrients longer. On the other hand, eating healthy foods throughout the day can keep the metabolism going. Doing this will lead to your body staying in that happy "weight-loss zone," a state where your metabolism is working efficiently. Besides causing more weight to come back, a fad diet might also lead to dehydration, gallstones, kidney stones, low blood pressure and electrolyte disturbances that might be dangerous. Many young, healthy brides may not think health problems can happen to them and may ignore the warnings. At the very least fad diets will leave you feeling hungry, cranky, more tired, and having fewer coping skills as your mood slowly deteriorates.
2) Focus on how you feel instead of the number on scale
Keeping track of your progress is important, but don’t dwell on the number the scale says. That’s the thing with the scale. It can be a blessing and a curse. Use the scale to track your progress, but don’t get down on yourself if you only lose just a pound a week. Overall, try your best because that is all you can do. Besides inches can be more telling as to whether your diet and exercise regime is really working.
In the beginning of your training, your focus should be on getting active and engaged in the program more than what the scale says. A good way to get motivated is to start a workout diary where you can monitor your progress. To stay motivated, keep notes all the way through. Make this a workout diary of sorts. If you're more of a visual person take a picture of yourself every week to track changes and keep it in your phone. Add aerobic activity (running, walking, jogging, cycling for example) at least 3 times a week at first. Don’t use main exercise, because too much cardio can burn not just fat but muscle as well.
3) Don’t underestimate yourself
It starts with the little things. Even walking can make a difference. Don’t underestimate the importance of just eliminating sugary drinks out of your diet. Many people have a good ten pounds of weight in their body just by a build of toxins in the colon. Swapping out unhealthy foods is just one part of getting in shape for a wedding. If you take away soda and sugary foods and drinks from your diet you can naturally expel some of this waste in your body quickly. Instead of sodas try flavoring your water.
Increasing your water intake makes a big difference to your body’s health. Studies show that those who drink at least 8 cups of water tend to weigh less than those who don’t. If you don’t like water, an easy fix is to cut up your favorite fruit, put it in your water bottle, and let it sit overnight in your water bottle. The next day your water tastes like fruit. Flavored water will make it easier for you to make your water requirement for the day.
