Thank you to our Guest Contributor Cynthia Milo for this wonderful article…
If you are one of the 100,000 women who say ‘I do’ in Australia every year1, you are more than likely familiar with how a wedding-day deadline can jump-start a healthy habit. While getting married is by no means a mandate for weight-loss, chances are, you wouldn’t mind shedding a few kilograms before you walk down the aisle. As your wedding day approaches, you will probably be more motivated than ever to reach your weight-loss goals. As tempting as it may be to embrace dangerous fads, it’s important to pursue your goals in an effective yet safe manner. By enlisting a few sound strategies, you can ensure that you look your absolute best on what will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable days of your life.
Set realistic weight-loss goals for yourself…
If your pre-wedding weight-loss goals seem impossible, they probably are. By setting realistic goals for yourself, you increase your chances of actually reaching them significantly. Whereas losing 30kg in a three-month period may not only cause severe anxiety but be downright unhealthy as well, setting out to lose 10kg in the same amount of time is a lot easier to achieve. Whatever goal you set for yourself, it needs to be quantifiable. Instead of saying, “I am going to exercise,” say, “I am going to exercise three times a week.” Once your goals become quantifiable, you will automatically become more accountable and likely to follow through with them.
Do not starve yourself…
While starving yourself might seem like a brilliant way to lose a lot of weight fast, it is, in fact, the worst thing you could possibly do. A lot of fad diets, such as the Baby Food Diet and Cabbage Soup Diet, promise swift weight-loss by cutting out entire food groups completely, and eating only minuscule portions of food. Remember that you want to be a healthy, blushing bride on your wedding day, and you can’t achieve that if you’re malnourished and sickly. If you want to lose weight, it is imperative to follow an eating plan that will not deprive the body of many vital nutrients. When followed responsibly, a low-carb Keto or Atkins diet2 can initiate sustainable weight-loss. Simply cutting down on your sugar and processed-food intake3 can have a similar effect, especially when coupled with regular exercise.
Get active…
Although you can’t out-train a bad diet, exercise remains an important factor when wanting to shed a few kilos before your wedding. Regular physical activity will not only help speed up your metabolism, but aid in toning your muscles as well. When starting out on a new exercise regime, remember to start out slowly. You can increase the intensity of your workouts on a weekly basis, and also introduce more exercises as you go along. Start by doing 30 minutes of exercise4 such as cycling, jogging, dancing or aerobics three times a week, while aiming to take a 30-minute long, brisk walk on your off days. If you already exercise on a regular basis, you can try to increase both the frequency and intensity of your workouts for optimal results.
As a bride-to-be, you undoubtedly want to make every effort to look your best on your wedding day. By losing weight in a responsible manner, you will not only ensure that you look like a million dollars, but that you are as happy and healthy as possible when saying your vows as well.
Resources…
1. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3310.0 – Australian Bureau of Statistics – 27/11/2018
2. https://www.ketodietliving.com/resources/keto-vs-atkins/ – Keto Diet Living – 2019
3. https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/tips-eating-well/tips-losing-weight-healthily – Eatforhealth.gov.au – 27/07/2015
4. https://www.byrdie.com/waist-slimming-workouts – Byrdie – 11/09/2018