Elegant Eating

(This article is about eating in expectation for a wedding, but read it through because most of the tips apply to everyone!!) KC

BY LEE MURPHY

Cake tastings, catering samples, engagement parties…your big day is quickly approaching and you're terrified that you won't fit into that dream wedding gown you've bought (without major alterations!). The stress and anxiety that most brides experience as their wedding day approaches can be extremely overwhelming. For some, the stressors themselves serve as a diet of sorts, and weight loss occurs due to sheer lack of appetite. For others, stress-induced overindulging leads to unwanted weight gain. Still others want this life-altering event to serve as an impetus to become the size they’ve always desired, so they try to fit dieting into an already hectic schedule—certainly not the ideal recipe for success. But whatever your eating habits may be, healthier choices will not only help you be the size you want.

The amount of preparation involved in planning a wedding can make it very difficult to eat sensibly and maintain even a modest level of good nutrition. To avoid inadvertently starving or binging as you handle the stress, here are several tips to get your body where you want just in time:

Water, Water, Water

Hydration is critical for health and vitality. While the benefits are countless, this is one of the most difficult habits to initiate into your daily routine. Try keeping a bottle of water with you throughout the day as a reminder to consume. Drink a large glass of water before each meal, and a bottle between meals. You should be drinking enough so that your urine is at least as dilute as the color of lemonade (not apple juice!).

Eat Small Portions, But Don’t Go Hungry

Your meal portions (specifically meat and carbohydrates) should generally be no larger or thicker than the palm of your hand. One exception is vegetables—if you are hungry, load up on colorful, low-calorie veggies, which are packed with beneficial nutrients and dietary fiber.

Don’t Skip Meals

Skipping breakfast and other meals might initially sound like a good idea so you can “save” some calories for later in the day. However, besides potentially SLOWING your metabolism (not want you want to do!), it might also lead to more hunger…and may encourage you to ravenously pick those not-so-healthy choices (which are not-so-friendly to your waistline either!).

Make Good Choices for Weight Loss

If you plan on losing weight before your wedding day, be sure to allow adequate time for healthy weight loss that will stay off permanently. The best plan to follow will allow you to lose ½ -2 pounds per week. At this rate, weight loss is safe, healthy, and lasting. Plan accordingly and designate the proper number of weeks for dieting following this guideline. For instance, if you want to lose 10 pounds before the big day, you'll need at least 5 weeks of dieting to guarantee healthy weight loss (10 pound goal/2 pounds per week = 5 weeks of dieting).

Forget about all the different fads available and stick with the plan proven to produce safe, healthy, and lasting weight loss—A gradual, moderate restriction of calories with exercise is the best diet type to follow and will allow you flexibility during the upcoming stressful planning period.

Restrict calories slowly and only moderately from what you currently eat. Reduce your current intake by about 200-600 calories per day (which can be equivalent to cutting out a 20 oz. soda, one dessert, or that order of fries that you would normally order). Along with adequate daily activity, you'll experience healthy weight loss, and also introduce beneficial lifestyle habits into your new life together.

Choose Your Foods Wisely

Eat a balanced diet. At a meal, ½ of your plate should be filled with colorful vegetables, ¼ with lean protein (like fish, chicken, lean meat, or beans), and ¼ with high-fiber carbohydrates (like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, or whole-grain bread). Also include fruit and low-fat dairy in your meal plan, and remember to limit added sugars and unhealthy fats (like saturated and trans fats).

Exercise Every Day

Make activity a standard part of your daily routine. Walking around the mall or the wedding site counts as good exercise, but also include workouts that really make you sweat—these will boost your metabolism and get you well on your way to the perfect form you are desiring.

What About All Those Pre-Wedding Food Festivities?

Enjoy the food at wedding showers graciously, but remember to keep portions small and dainty. Certainly sample that wedding cake and those catering possibilities, but again, keep tastings small and count those calories as part of your daily allotment. Finally, don’t forget to hit the gym after a stressful day of decision making. Besides being good for your heart and body, it will help cleanse your mind and soul as well.

Lastly, be sure you have the support of your family and friends in all your healthy efforts, and in no time you’ll be ready for your most important walk—down the aisle!