Five Tips to Help You Look and Feel Great on Your Wedding Day

The ring was purchased, the question was popped, and you’ve agreed to walk the aisle.  Now, you have a lot of fun-filled, exciting planning ahead of you.  Part of that process, if you are like most brides-to-be will be to work on slimming and toning your body.  There is no definitive wedding diet plan that every women follows to achieve this goal, but there are some tips that have proven consistently effective.

Avoid Bloating Foods There is nothing worse than being diligent about a diet, only to look in the mirror and see a big belly.  This may not be a result of a failed diet.  It could be that you are simply consuming too much sodium.  Many processed foods (even those sold as weight-loss friendly options) are full of sodium, which can cause the unwanted bloating.  Eating out at restaurants and grabbing snacks on the go can make it very difficult to avoid sodium-rich foods.  You don’t have to forego the social meals and necessary snacks, but it might be a good idea to avoid them on big days – dress shopping, dress fitting, rehearsal, and the wedding day, for instance.

Opt for Fiber Rather than trying to crash diet before your wedding, aim to lose weight slowly and in a sustainable manner.  That way, you aren’t likely to gain it all back immediately after saying your vows.  Introducing more fiber into your diet is a great way to do this.  Fiber is very filling, because it takes the body so long to break it down.

Pack up on Protein Like fiber, protein can provide a healthy, full feeling that makes it easier to wait for the next meal.  Lean protein can do just that while accounting for very few calories.  Look to poultry, nuts, and yogurt, for instance when planning meals and snacks.

Prepare Meals that Require Chewing One of the greatest beauties of fiber-rich and protein-rich foods is that many of them take a long time to eat.  For instance, consider how fast you can eat a greasy burger versus a fiber-rich salad.  The salad takes longer to eat.  Your body is provided more time to process the food and feel full.  Many times, we eat more calories than we need, simply because we eat so fast we don’t provide our body time to adjust.  If you are going to enjoy a burger, then take your time eating it, really chew each and every bite.

Make Substitutions The truth is that dieting is hard, in large part because everyone else isn’t going to go on a diet with you.  That means that they’ll invite you out to meals and order foods that you know you should avoid.  They’ll throw parties with drinks, snacks, and fatty foods lining every counter.  You don’t have to give up on living to succeed in slimming down before your big day.  Just make substitutions.  Rather than eating two large pieces of pizza, have one and enjoy it.  If you are still hungry, opt for the healthy food that is offered.  If the office offers up a platter of cookies or a box of donuts in the afternoon, go partake in the social time, but bring along the snack you packed that morning instead of reaching for the donut.

With these few tips, you can go a long way toward achieving your wedding weight loss goals.