You can have it all.
I wanted to feel good about my body and feel confident in my sleeveless gown as I walked down the isle.
I wanted to be able to spin and twirl on the dance floor with my future husband without getting winded or breathless.
I decided, like many brides-to-be, to use my wedding date as an initial goal for a healthy weight and better health.
Here are some tips that may help you develop a healthy eating and exercise plan so you can look great and feel great on your wedding day.
Healthy Eating & Exercise
What’s a Healthy Weight for You?
Your first step should be to determine your body mass index and set a weight-loss goal that will put you within a healthy range. Your body mass index, or BMI, is a point value determined by measuring the ratio of your weight and height. A healthy BMI is usually between 18-24 points.
For example, if you were 5’ 4” and 160 pounds, your BMI would be 27 points. You may want to loose roughly 25 pounds to be within a healthy point range.
Food Journal
Keep a Food Journal Once you’ve determined your weight-loss goal (if you need one) begin to journal everything that you eat—even little bites and nibbles; these can add up! Don’t yet focus on cutting calories, just try to get a sense of how much and what kinds of foods you’re eating. For example, I noticed immediately that I hardly ate vegetables or fruits and I was constantly snacking!
When you have a good picture of your eating habits, began to do nutritional research to find out how many calories you need to eat per day and what kinds of foods are better than others. One pound is equal to 3500 calories. So, to loose two pounds a week, you would need to cut 7000 calories out of your diet per week. Web sites such as WebMD and the Mayo Clinic are excellent nutritional and diet resources.
In general, try to eat low-calorie, high-fiber foods and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Also, drink plenty of water—at least six glasses a day. Water keeps things moving smoothly in your body and also helps maintain a smooth, healthy complexion.
Build Muscle and Exercise
Many women believe the myth that if a woman lifts weights, she’ll develop big, bulky muscles like those of a professional body builder. Because of this, many woman overlook the fact that the key to weight loss and a toned body is to build muscle. Muscle tissue requires more calories a day – just to stay alive – than fat does. Therefore, if you were to build several pounds of muscle, you body would require more calories and your metabolism will rise.
If you’re uncomfortable lifting weights at the gym or are not sure of proper form, a good way to start is by using exercise videos that focus on toning. At home, you can stop the tape whenever you need to check your form or modify the sequence. You should also do at least a half hour of cardiovascular exercise every day.
Think of all the fun things you liked to do as a kid: did you love to run and jump? Did you love to swim and play in the pool? Try to envision exercise as “play” time for yourself, instead of a chore. Don’t bother with exercise that you don’t enjoy.
Get Support
Finally, surround yourself with people who are supportive of your efforts! Join an online fitness forum, or attend meetings such as Weight Watchers. Making a life commitment to health won’t happen overnight, and you may have some setbacks along the way. However, with a positive attitude (and your wedding quickly approaching!) you can only succeed.
Shelly Clark is a Kansas City, Kansas native who loves weddings. She’s a wonderful resource for Kansas City brides at KC Weddings.
Photo Credits
~chicchun~ via flickr
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