Our comprehensive guide is full of tips and tricks to get you in shape and feeling confident in your bridal body on your big day…
If you want to make a change, the first thing you’ll need to do is reassess your eating habits. We’d never suggest that you go on a dangerous, crazy – making the right food choices is far more important than counting calories. Eating healthily can help remove cravings, too, so you’re bound to be looking and feeling fab in no time. We’ve compiled a few tasty suggestions for you to try…
Breakfast
You may feel heatlhy if you start the day with a bowl of your favourite flakes but many cereals such as pre-packed granola and sachets of flavoured porridge actually have an extremely high fat and sugar content.
Sugar is not only a cause of weight gain but could also affect your skin’s condition. In addition, fluctuating blood sugar levels can cause mood swings, which you definitely don’t want in the lead up to your big day! So instead of these high sugar nasties, go for a nutrient-filled breakfast of scrambled eggs with spinach to get your day off to a great start.
Lunch
Busy lifestyles and work can make it easy to fall into unhealthy eating time to make lunch before work but it’s commonly known that shop-bought meals are bad for you. Fresh, simple and healthy options can be easily made at home the evening before. White bread is a big no when it comes to lunch food, so swap you go-to sandwich for a healthy homemade salad.
Stock up on quinoa or couscous and make a superfood salad with raw spinach, peppers and homemade avocado dip instead of mayo. This tasty meal is super easy to prepare and will keep your hunger satisfied well into the afternoon.
Dinner
Tiredness after a long day is usually the cuase of our unhealthy dinner choices, with many people quickly throwing together an unhealthy meal or paying for even unhealthier takeaways. Definitely steer clear of the takeout option if you’re serious about getting trim for your big day. The same applied for home-cooked ready meals, pizza and fried, meaty dinners.
Being a veggie isn’t for everyone, so if you can’t face cutting meat entirely out of your diet, try to choose low-fat meat or eat fish instead, which is packed with vitamins and minerals as well as being a great source of omega-3. Also, try to ditch shop-bought chips too, and instead serve your meals with homemade sweet potato chips and plenty of steamed veg.
Snacks
Many people crave a midmorning or afternoon snack and it’s usually easy to pick at chocolate or reach for a packet of crisps. Although these snacks will stop the immediate effects of hunger, it won’t maintain your energy for very long. Try snacking instead on carrots dipped in homemade hummus or a handful of unsalted nuts. These goods are not only packed with nutrients and antioxidants but are also much more likely to keep you feeling fuller for longer than chocolate or salty snacks.
However, if you do have a sweet tooth, it isn’t all bad news! Dark chocolate – anything over 85% – if eaten in moderation is actually pretty good for you and will sort out any of your sweet cravings. For added sweetness, you can melt the chocolate and dip in strawberries!
Exercise ideas
As little as 30 minutes of exercise each day can have a significant benefit on your health and if you want to get into shape, it’s the perfect partner to a healthy diet. Many gym memberships are expensive and it can sometimes be difficult to squeeze in sessions. But don’t worry, there are plenty of other ways to get exercise into your lifestyle and you’ll soon be on your way to achieving your dream wedding day look.
Walk
Walking doesn’t particularly feel like exercise and an easy way to include this into your daily routine is walk to work – this will also help save on petrol pennies! Every time you see an escalator or a lift try to take the stairs instead, too. It won’t feel like much exercise at the time and stair walking will help tone your thighs and bum so you’ll soon be ready for that honeymoon bikini!
Run
Just 20 minutes of cardio, such as a job in the park, will increase your heart rate and will help urn off any unwanted fat. Running outdoors is a great way to get some fresh air and is also said to improve concentration and general wellbeing.
Swim
Swimming is one of the best exercises you can do – a dip in the pool a few times a week will target all areas of the body and you’ll start seeing results pretty quickly. Check your local pool to see what facilities they have available – some have lane sessions and water aerobics classes on offer.
Dance
Find exercise boring? Join a group with your favourite girls. Zumba is a great way to get fit, and it doesn’t even feel like exercise! This fun and effective dance will get you moving, and exercising in a group is a great social experience and a chance to meet like-minded people, perhaps even other brides-to-be.
For more healthy tips on how to get the bridal body you want, head to our Health and Lifestyle section!
