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I’m Getting Married and I Need to Lose Weight
How to lose and maintain a healthy lifestyle before your big day.
Words Victoria Deborah
It comes as no surprise that planning for your wedding day comes with pressure. From the preparation and making sure everything is as you had dreamed and hoped for the next most important thing is how you look. We already know the correlation between looking good can make you feel good and therefore increasing confidence which for a bride who’s getting ready for their wedding day an abundance of confidence is exactly what you need. Not only do you feel the pressure to fit into your dream dress but the endless pictures that will be taken on the day would want to make you look your very best. You can do all of this without feeling the need to go overboard or become too obsessive. If you can make it more of a lifestyle change than a ‘quick fix’ you will see the benefits even after the wedding, where you might just need it even more.
Many turn to extreme/crash dieting that usually is not sustainable nor very pleasant to do whilst going through everything else on the lead up to your big day. The notorious juice cleanse, of which mostly helps get rid of water weight and not fat loss, meaning after you finish the cleanse as it’s not sustainable, you will add all the weight back. It gets even weirder with some people eating 16 jars of baby food per day instead of actual meals.
The good news is that this is not what you need and most of this extreme dieting is usually not necessary and is unlikely to give you the results you need. These extreme measures usually result in the inability to function and causes you to have low energy. As a bride, a simple plan that you can follow and stick to is exactly what you need, something that focuses on little lifestyle changes that can easily be implemented around a busy wedding planning schedule.
When Should You Start?
There is no ‘one size fits all' solution to beginning your wedding fitness regime, it just depends on your starting point and how much weight you want to lose. The earlier you begin, the better. Don't expect miracles if you wait until the last minute and try to lose weight. As soon as you start planning your wedding, you can start worrying about your diet and exercise routine.
Short Term Goals
To maintain your general health, exercise daily for the first four to six weeks, then concentrate on specific areas such as your stomach, thighs, and bottom. You can chart your progress and be proud of your achievements by keeping a fitness log.
Short on Time?
If you have a busy job and life routine and find it difficult to fit in exercise, continue to make lifestyle changes wherever possible. For example, instead of driving to work or the store, bike, and instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs – even simple workouts like these will help you stay in shape.
HIIT - High-intensity interval training is great for a busy bride. This consists of short bursts of intense exercise mixed in with small rests, which could benefit you more than a long session in the gym.
Many of the workouts that make up the base of a HIIT workout engage all of the body's main muscle groups, and you'll feel it. Exercising with explosive motions, such as squat jumps, sprints, burpees, rock climbers, and jumping lunges works your whole body, not just your heart.
Home Exercises?
Home exercising is very convenient but can sometimes be demotivating if you do not have anyone holding you accountable or you can’t remain disciplined to following a set plan. I would advise getting a personal trainer. Mobile gym and personal training business such as GYMGUYZ in London, UK, who travel with over 100+ equipment to your home, garden, local park or wherever you like, just to train you. Offering couple packages that would be ideal for you and your partner as another form of bonding and time spent together outside of wedding planning stresses. So if you can’t do it yourself, seeking help from a professional is a very good choice.
Other brilliant home exercising apps that can help you are:
Peloton
Aaptiv
Fitbit Coach
Asana Rebel
Adidas Training and Running by Runtastic
Nike Training Club
Zwift
Going to the Gym?
Find a local gym so you won’t be travelling for too long and make sure you get an instructor. One mistake people do is go to the gym not knowing what they’re doing and spend hours just wasting time without making any gains. Attending a gym can sometimes become tasking, so make sure you pick the right time and day, one that you may be able to keep the same every week that way you adopt a pattern.
Finally, all this should be back with a good diet but again don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The last thing you want is to add calorie counting to your endless tasks. The goal is to plan just as you are planning your wedding, you will need to set structure and plan for your health and see it as more than just an investment for one (although very special) day, see it as a stepping stone to push you towards a healthier lifestyle that can be implemented for both you and your partner.