Wedding day, although a joyous occasion, can also invoke mixed emotions from brides and grooms worried about looking their best. Losing weight is a common goal placed squarely at the top the priority list for soon-to-be newlyweds. There are several simple things you can do to avoid becoming overwhelmed and lose weight successfully before your big day.
Monitor Energy Needs
LIVESTRONG.COM My Plate provides easy interactive tools for tracking calories and macro-nutrients consumed, as well as activities performed each day. Recording your daily food intake will help you understand if and where there is room for improvement and help you to make adjustments accordingly.
Be Accountable
Be accountable to someone else for an added element of motivation. A trained professional can help you set realistic goals, formulate a plan and answer any questions you have along the way.
Clean Out Your Cupboards
Keeping unhealthy foods in your home will not help you meet your goals. Donate or discard unhealthy items, and replace them with healthier options, like lean meats, low-fat diary, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Eat Often
Going long periods without eating causes your body to slow the rate at which it burns calories. Eating five to six small meals made of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats can keep you energized for your workouts, decrease cravings and keep your metabolism ticking like clockwork.
Drink Water
Many people severely underestimate liquid calorie consumption. Replacing calorie-filled juices, sodas and lattes with water can be the easiest and most inexpensive way to cut hundreds, or even thousands, of calories from your diet.
Metabolism Boosters
Foods containing capsaicin, such as peppers, increase your body's thermogenic response, resulting in a higher metabolism and overall calorie burn. Caffeinated coffee, lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, curries and cinnamon have also been shown to raise the rate of metabolism during digestion and shortly thereafter. Scientists find that caffeine and EGCG, a highly active catechin in green tea, raise metabolism and increase fat oxidation, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Limit Alcohol
Drinking alcohol adds extra calories unnecessarily and causes unstable blood glucose levels. This coupled with lowered inhibitions can lead to eating unplanned snacks and meals, ultimately deterring progress toward your weight-loss goal.
Avoid Fad Diets
Be wary of any product that promises extreme weight loss in an unrealistic time frame. It's best to lose weight at a moderate but steady pace. Aim for a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week, recommends the Mayo Clinic.
Establish Rewards
Set up a reward system for accomplishing small goals along the way. A new outfit, a weekend getaway or a honeymoon vacation at the beach can all be powerful incentives to keep working toward your goals.
Recruit Support
Get your fiance on board with the commitment to healthy eating and workouts. Forming healthy habits together now will help you both keep the weight off post nuptials.
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