Newly Engaged? Read This Before you Start Any Diet

Newly Engaged? Say no to extreme weight loss tactics.

My social media accounts have been blowing up with a thousand engagements, which often leads to extreme weight loss regimes, crazy fitness plans, and overall unhealthy tactics. Instead of starving yourself or over exercising, start now. Slow and steady will not only last after the wedding, but you won't end up rebounding with even more weight gain after the special date.

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. You have fallen in love, cherished the courtship, gotten engaged and spent countless hours planning every single detail. There is no doubt that every bride not only wants her wedding to go smoothly, but she wants to feel her most radiant the entire weekend.

I compiled a list of my top 10 tips for any bride to get ready for her big day.

1. Eat every 3-5 hours

This typically looks like breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, and snack. Not every person may need all of the snacks, but eating more frequently allows for better metabolic burn and prevents getting overly hungry. Allowing your body to get to such a hungry state will cause your speed of eating to increase and you will likely over eat as a result.

2. Combine your macronutrients – carbohydrates, fat, and protein

Each macronutrient has its own purpose, function, and nutrient profile and they work the most efficiently when combined together. Carbohydrates act as the instant energy; protein and fat keep you full and satisfied and act as your long term energy. Your meals should have all three and your snacks should be at least 2 of the 3.

Meal example – 3-4 oz grilled chicken breast (protein), 1 cup roasted potatoes (carbohydrate), green beans sautéed in olive oil (fat)

Snack example – 1 medium apple (carbohydrate) and 1 tbs peanut butter (fat)

3. Slow down

Try to make meals last at least 20 minutes; this is the amount of time it takes your brain and stomach to send signals of fullness back and forth allowing the person to stop at a comfortable level of fullness.

4. Don’t cut out food groups or specific foods

Cutting out food groups or specific foods will cause you to physically and psychologically crave these foods more. Once you eat one of these foods you are more likely to over eat them and feel out of control. Allow yourself to have your favorite foods in moderation.

5. Stay away from cleanses, fad diets, etc.

Anything that sounds too good to be true definitely is too good to be true. These extreme weight loss techniques are not sustainable. You will gain back the weight you previously lost plus even more.

6. Make sure you are eating enough dietary fat

People often times restrict dietary fat due to its higher calorie content, but your body will end of storing more fat if it is not getting enough. Dietary fat provides satiety and keeps us full, which decreases random cravings. Dietary fat also contributes to beautiful hair, skin, and nails! Always a plus for brides!

7. Do physical activity you enjoy

If you hate it, you will not keep doing it. Find physical activities that you actually enjoy doing. Going on walks with your friends, hiking new trails, going to a dance class, or swimming are some ideas that people typically enjoy. When you enjoy the activity you are doing you are not only getting the physical benefits, but the psychological benefits as well (we all know brides are stressed enough, right?).

8. Don’t skip whole meals

Skipping whole meals does nothing beneficial for you, it actually slows down your metabolism (meaning burns less calories) causing your body to break down protein stores (muscle, tissue, bone, organ) in order to provide the bodywith energy. There is no such thing as ‘saving calories.’ Instead, work on having balance at every meal (see number 2).

9. Drink plenty of water and watch sodium content the week before your wedding

Water and sodium have a unique relationship. If sodium content increases in the body the body holds on to more water (causing bloating) instead of releasing excess water through the urinary system. Water and sodium are both important for the body, there needs to be a balance.

10. On your wedding weekend make sure you EAT!

I know the last thing on your mind is probably your meals, but you need to make them a priority. Often high emotions mask hunger cues often causing a decrease in appetite. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner will provide you with enough energy to enjoy the entire night!