The countdown has begun! I’m getting married in just over a month — so exciting! As a nutritionist, I often meet with brides-to-be who want to lose weight. Instead of just aiming for weight loss, it’s important to focus on feeling your healthiest and most beautiful, both inside and out. This approach has worked for me over the years, and I’ve seen many clients reach their goals with these tips.
Whether you have six weeks or six months until your big day, you can start implementing these suggestions. And even if you’re not a bride-to-be, they can help you feel your best too!
1. **Stay Hydrated**
Drinking water might sound like common sense, but even a 1% drop in hydration can trigger headaches, low energy, and mood swings. Water is the easiest and most budget-friendly beauty trick. To achieve that glowing, clear skin, water is absolutely essential. I want you to feel energized and happy on your special day, so make sure you drink water every day — not just on your wedding day! Aim for 8-10 glasses of pure filtered water daily. How can you tell if you’re getting enough? Your urine should be a pale yellow, and you shouldn’t feel thirsty or have a dry mouth.
2. **Control Bloating**
Getting your belly under control takes a bit more than just a quick tip, but if you’ve been following joyous health, you’re on the path to a flat, sexy belly. Let’s explore why you might feel bloated:
– Eating too frequently or going to bed with a full stomach can affect digestion negatively. Eating often can deplete digestive enzymes and weaken your digestive “fire,” while a big meal right before bed is a recipe for poor digestion.
– Consuming common foods that can cause sensitivities daily may also lead to bloating. The culprits include soy, gluten (think breads, pasta, cereal), dairy, peanuts, and sugar.
– Sugar, in particular, can feed yeast and bacteria in the gut, leading to bloating, weakening your immune system, and harming your skin by promoting acne.
Here are some tips to manage or prevent bloating.
3. **Move Daily**
No matter how you choose to exercise, what’s important is that you do it every day. Whether it sounds like a Nike ad or not, it’s true! Exercise increases heart rate, improves circulation, helps clear toxins through sweat and breath, and decreases hormone-related problems like PMS and skin blemishes. Go for a power walk, join a yoga class, do pushups, jumping jacks, play a sport, or even chase your kids. Get active with your fiancé and have fun!
4. **Prioritize Sleep**
Out of all these tips, getting enough beauty sleep is crucial. I know wedding festivities can keep you busy, but dear, sleep is key! Your skin regenerates at night, so to avoid looking tired, make sleep a priority. It’s something you shouldn’t skip — aim for 7.5 to 8 hours each night. If you’re having trouble sleeping, look into resources that can help.
5. **Breathe**
I’ve been focusing on breathing deeper and more mindfully with yoga. Just 1 hour and 15 minutes of yoga can drastically improve my day and outlook. If yoga isn’t your thing, try taking 10 deep belly breaths three times during the day. It’s easy to fit in, right? Breathing soothes the central nervous system. Regardless of wedding planning stress, taking a moment to breathe helps you think better and calms you down.
Happy wedding planning to all my readers! These tips truly make me feel amazing when I follow them, although I need to work on breathing. I’m excited about your wedding posts! I’m in the midst of planning mine and could use some advice!
