Help me lose weight for my wedding!

Many women want to lose weight before they get married. It’s something to do with wearing a white dress and being the centre of attention for the day – not to mention the wedding photos. If you’re asking yourself ‘how can I lose weight for my wedding?’ we’ve got some great tips to get you started.

Many brides leave it too late to start shedding pounds, resulting in crash dieting in the weeks leading up to the big day. These types of diets are usually not effective as brides who starve themselves in the run up to the wedding will have no energy for the wedding itself and usually pile on the weight very soon after their big day. There are healthy ways to lose weight, which involve lifestyle changes and setting yourself long term goals which will ensure that you shed the extra pounds gradually and also permanently.

To lose weight in a healthy way, your lifestyle and fitness regime should start at least eight months before the wedding. You can safely lose about a kilogram a month and you should aim to reach your desired weight about two months prior to the big day just in time for your final dress fitting.

If you are considering losing weight, here are five areas you should focus on:

When you eat

Make sure you always have breakfast, and try to avoid snacking between meals. Do you have a large meal late in the evening? Perhaps you could consider having more to eat at lunch and just having a light snack in the evening.

What you eat

You might be surprised when you think about what you actually eat in a day. Keep a food diary outlining what you eat each day and see where you can replace a food that is high in calories with a healthy alternative.

What you drink

Firstly make sure you have six to eight glasses of water each day. Do you often drink alcohol, sugary fizzy drinks or hot drinks with milk and sugar? Try to cut down on these and choose healthier alternatives such as fruit teas.

How much you eat

One of the simplest ways to lose weight is to cut down the size of your portions. Only eat until you feel full, not until you are bloated, and serve food on smaller plates. Reduce portions of calorie rich food and increase your helping of vegetables instead.

How you exercise

Find a type of exercise you like, whether it is a brisk walk in the park or a dance class, and make sure you do it for an hour at least twice a week.

Here are three great tips on losing weight and keeping it off for good.

Reward your progress

Set yourself a target weight and write a weekly record of how your weight loss is going. Highlight goals along the way and give yourself a little (non-edible) reward every time you achieve one. Try to maintain your record after the wedding so you can check if the weight is being kept off and give yourself a reward each month if you remain within a certain range of your ideal weight.

Get help from friends

Informing friends and family that you are attempting to lose weight should prevent them from offering you sweet treats. Getting a friend to lose weight with you, or joining a weight loss programme, will help you maintain your enthusiasm and will encourage you to weigh yourself regularly so the weight doesn’t pile back on without you noticing.

Have a visual reminder

Look through a bridal magazine and choose a photo of a bride you would like to resemble. Stick it to your fridge door or kitchen cupboard to stop you from snacking unnecessarily. After you’re married, replace the photo with your own from your wedding day to remind you how amazing you looked.