24 Feb Diet Talk: Weight Loss Hacks – 3 Brides, 3 Diets
We snooped and interviewed 3 of our HitchPlanner brides-to-be on their diet and exercise regime before their wedding day! From portion-controlled diet to a brutal all-liquid cleanse, read on to find out more about their top bridal weight loss hacks!
The New, Slender and better You - Brides-to-be weight loss hacks
Losing weight before a wedding is definitely on the minds of many brides-to-be.
Perhaps you want to lose an extra 2kg so you can look better in your pre-wedding photoshoot, or so your waist can be a little smaller and so on. As your wedding day draws nearer, you know that it is important to make sure that you are feeling you’re at your best. Here are some of the popular tried-and-tested ways to lose weight, tone up and make sure that you are feeling like a million dollars when you are finally walking down the aisle. We interviewed a couple of HitchPlanner’s brides-to-be to find out their weight loss method.
Disclaimer: We are not certified medical professionals. Be sure to consult your doctors before attempting any drastic weight loss program. We are also advocates of women of all shapes and sizes, this article is here to help you feel your best on your wedding day.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals
1) Goal: To lose 10kg before your wedding
Time required: a year
How: Portion-control & cardio
Serene* has always struggled with her weight since Secondary School. It’s not that she is unhealthily overweight or anything. Over the years, Serene has been finding it hard to do the things she loves. For example, walking long distances during her travels, feeling out of breath after walking a flight of stairs to name a few. Standing at 165cm (5’4 ft) and weighing in at 67kg (168 lbs), she thinks that she can benefit from losing 10kg before her wedding day.
Over the years, I didn't even realise that I have gradually gained 1-2kg each year. When I look in the mirror now, I don't even feel like myself. I want to regain my confidence and be at my best on my wedding day.
Slow and steady is the plan Serene is on. Our bride doesn’t count calories nor go on a protein-only diet (Like the trendy keto diet) so she controls her food portions, adds in the extra 30-45minutes cardio by dropping off a few stops earlier on the bus and walking home every weekday. Serene said that keeping a food journal has helped her identify one shocking fact: at one point, she was eating 1.5 portions more for each meal almost everyday. After discovering that, she quickly got on to her current diet.
We got her to show us an example of a week of her meal plan:
The biggest help is that extra cardio everyday when she finishes work – a nice kick to the metabolism (Serene works a desk-bound job). She noticed within 3 months, her clothes fitted looser on her and that she has regained some of her energy. Now 6 months in, she has lost 6.5kg so far and she is looking to incorporate exercises to tone up her arms and back. This proves that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss, all you need is a little tweak in your daily routine!
2) Goal: Improve complexion & lose 3-4kg before the wedding
Time required: 6 weeks
How: Cut out dairy, sugar, carbs, grains and focus on good quality protein and fresh vegetables.
Exercise plan – 10 minutes home workout every night.
With a new rock on her finger and a calendar laid open before the soon-to-be bride, Lynn*. She realised that she only has about 6 weeks to her wedding. And if you are trying to pull together a wedding in a few weeks’ time, along with finding the right wedding venue, ordering flowers, dealing with your bridesmaids, planning your honeymoon, and many other things before you walk down the aisle, it is quite easy to forget that you must first take care of yourself.
Because of her busy schedule, Lynn has been missing her previous appointments to her facial and spa sessions. Irregular meals and replacing meals with snacks and junk food, Lynn realised that her dull skin and that extra 1-2kg has piled on her usual lean frame. Her Fiancé travels regularly for work so most of the wedding planning fell on Lynn.
Here’s an example of her meal plan on this diet:
I don't mind actually, he is taking care of other matters like house renovation. I just hope that I have enough time to "glow up" for my wedding.
What this diet does is that it eliminates refined sugar and carbohydrates in the diet. And cutting out dairy means that she is not ingesting any milk hormones that might cause skin problems. Lynn said that meal prep is key since she can’t eat out on this diet. She thinks that this saves her time making decisions on what to eat everyday and she is able to concentrate on her work better. Mental clarity is a huge gain for her. “The first 5 days was hell, my body was going through all the withdrawal symptoms. But after that, all that mental fog and afternoon energy dip is a thing of the past. It’s like – snap and it’s gone!” she quipped. Lynn only has 2 weeks to her wedding and she has felt that her body has toned up and her skin is starting to clear up!
3) Goal: Lose 1-2kg before your wedding
Time required: 3 days
How: Detox Cleanse Program
Korine* has always been relatively healthy, she goes to the gym 3 times a week and makes sure she eats a salad every now and then. She has always wanted to try a detox cleanse and now it’s the perfect time! She purchased a 3 days’ worth of juice from a juice cleanse company and took the plunge to try it out. Here are her thoughts! (You can always go to your local fruit juice shop and get yours from there!)
Day 1: “I tried it out on a Wednesday and made sure that there isn’t any after-work commitments on that day. I drank a total of 6 bottles that day, it tasted great actually. I didn’t experience any hungry pangs but felt pretty good overall.”
Day 2: “Since my wedding is on Saturday, I took 2 days off work to prepare for the wedding. I did mostly admin work, calling up vendors to confirm the timing and make sure that all details are correct. My Fiancé was my task-runner for that day! I got quite hungry during lunch so I drank lots of mint tea to try to fill up.”
Day 3: “Tomorrow is the big day and I woke up and ran straight to the toilet. I think the juice is finally cleansing my system. I have to say I regretted trying out a diet so close to my wedding. But I stuck it out in the end. I kept myself busy by giving myself a mask and bath soak, and lit candles around the house. I feel like a princess – a starving princess.”
Verdict? I wouldn't recommend anyone trying out a few days before your wedding day. But the surprising thing was on my actual wedding day, I was so busy that I actually forgot that I was hungry. I did feel lighter and my dress fitted much better. After the guests had gone home, I went ahead and placed a huge order of my favourite food to reward both my husband and I.
Korine lost 2.5kg, which brings her to a slender 49kg (108lbs) on her 167cm (5″5 ft) frame.
Conclusion
There are all sorts of fad diets out there that promise you outrageous results like, “Lose 10kg in 20 days” or replace your meals with shakes. Of course, if you do try out please proceed with caution.
A successful weight loss plan is one that does not pose a health threat and promises slow and steady weight loss. Health experts have said that sustainable weight loss per week should be 0.5 to 1kg per week. Anything more than that is considered a fad diet. So do some research and find one that works according to your specific needs.
Most importantly, your diet should be something that works with the body and not against it. Who wants to feel grumpy and out-of-sorts as your wedding day draws near?
Making sure you are feeling your best and positive is the only way to go. We hope that these Bridal weight loss hacks have helped give you a better insight in prepping for your own big day!
For more inspiring ideas, why not visit the HitchPlanner Pinterest, search and shop securely on our dedicated Marketplace and create your Wedding website all right here on www.hitchplanner.com