Lose Weight

The guest list, the cake, the photographer, the reception - the pressure of wedding planning can drive a girl to extremes. So what’s a girl to do when she wants to look her best for the big day without losing her sanity? It is improbable to think a girl can lose mega pounds of weight in a few months just to squeeze into “the” bridal gown of her dreams. While crash dieting and other abnormal eating options can achieve this goal, it will eventually take a unnecessary toll on the bride’s health – not to mention that the weight will simply load back on as soon as you’ve reached your goal. This approach of setting up unrealistic hope will only lead the bride to failure. So what is a healthy weight loss goal? About 1 – 2 pounds per week is doable. Slow weight loss will actually help you in the long run to keep the weight off. Frantically starting a weight loss program right before the wedding is probably not the best idea. Instead, try long-term planning. Maybe six to eight months before the wedding, start to examine your current lifestyle to see how you can make changes.

There are three major components in weight loss that will help any girl achieve success. If you believe that you are worth putting the effort into, you will succeed. Brides will use many excuses such as they are too busy, too tired, or their fiancé doesn’t like “rabbit” food. The weight loss goal should not be simply to fit into the wedding dress or look good for the pictures. The goal should be to start your marriage off on a healthy base, so that you and your new spouse can look forward to celebrating your 50th wedding anniversary without high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or other avoidable health problems.

The second major component in weight loss is healthy eating. Does this mean a lifetime of salads and tofu? Absolutely not. Healthy eating is essentially a two-part deal. The first is moderation. Moderation means that you can eat steak or have a slice of cake – some of the time – as long as you also fit in your fruits, vegetables, and grains as well. While any girl would love to survive on chocolate alone, it simply is not sensible. In the beginning, try looking for fruits and vegetables that you enjoy eating. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips as a snack, try an apple or an orange. If you want chocolate; go for a bite-sized piece of chocolate or two instead of a king sized chocolate bar. The second part of healthy eating is portion control. Try measuring your cereal in the morning in a measuring cup to see exactly how much you are eating. Compare this to the food label on the cereal box. What you think you are eating may actually be much more that what you should be eating. Try going with a 6 ounce steak instead of a 12 ounce steak and you will cut your calories and fat intake significantly.

The third major component in weight loss is exercise. As we all collectively groan, some of you may be running for cover. Exercise is not necessarily the most fun aspect of your day. Before you run out and buy an expensive gym membership, spandex and the latest runners, take heart. Exercise can actually be as simple as walking during your lunch hour or riding your bike after work. You can also do small things like lifting hand weights (which can be purchased in any sporting goods section of a store for $5-10) for 20 minutes a day. Even small things like parking your car in the lot farthest from the grocery store or choosing the stairs over the elevator will help boost your weight loss.

The weight loss will come, even if it is slow, and eventually will stay off. The result is an attractive bride who glows on her wedding day.

Marg Roukens
202-657-5874

Tri Power Team

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Tags: diet, health, weight loss