Diet & Fitness
Mistakes
By Lynn Bode
Every bride
wants to look perfect on her wedding day. Selecting
a dress that will make you look and feel great
is an important first step. But what happens
when you look in the mirror and don't think
you look quite as good as you could? When this
happens it’s not uncommon for brides to
try quick-fix diets to help them get in shape.
Unfortunately,
many dieting brides make fitness mistakes that
not only prevent them from reaching their goals
but also cause unnecessary stress and sometimes
even illness. Those are two things no bride
needs! Here are five of the most common diet
mistakes as well as some tips to help you avoid
them.
1.
Too much, too late.
One of the most important things to remember
if you are trying to lose weight is to start
early. For example, don’t try to lose
20 pounds two months before the big day. The
key is to plan ahead so that you can lose the
weight (or just tone up) gradually. So if you’re
dream-wedding day includes you being in great
shape, then include fitness as a “to-do”
on your overall wedding checklist. That way
it will be a priority in your wedding planning.
2.
Setting unachievable goals.
Many women get engaged and begin imagining themselves
drastically thinner or more sculpted. Be realistic
with yourself. If you’ve never been a
size 6 in your life, then it is probably unrealistic
to think you can magically transform just because
you are getting married. And, do you really
want to look so different on your wedding day
that most people (including your fiancé)
hardly recognize you?
3.
Radical diets or fitness programs.
Brides typically are short on time and long
on to-do lists. This leads many to try unhealthy
fitness programs or starvation diets. Don’t
be tempted by diets that promise quick, drastic
results with little effort from you. You should
avoid any programs that suggest taking “diet”
pills or eating unbalanced meals (like eating
only cabbage soup for a week). And, don’t
be lured into trying dangerous things, like
laxatives.
4.
Not exercising.
It’s very easy for brides to say “I
don’t have time to exercise” or
“I’m too tired to exercise”.
But diet and exercise should always go hand
in hand. Consider them to be like yin and yang.
Without activity your body can’t burn
as many calories. If you are very short on time,
try to exercise in small 10-minute bursts throughout
the day. And, keep in mind that little things
help too, like taking the stairs or parking
at the outer edge of the mall parking lot. Plus,
if you are tired from all of your planning,
exercise will help give you back some energy.
5.
Skipping Meals
It’s not uncommon to get caught up in
your planning and then realize at 9 p.m. (as
your head begins to ache) that you haven’t
eaten a thing all day. While it may not be an
uncommon scenario, it is unavoidable. Not only
is skipping meals unhealthy, it can lead to
binge eating. That often means eating very fattening
foods and/or overeating all at once. To avoid
this, try packing light snacks to keep on hand
throughout the day. Good examples include carrot
sticks, cheese strings, peanut butter on crackers,
etc.
Getting in
shape doesn’t have to be complicated and
it doesn’t require a lot of time. If you
are trying to lose weight or firm up before
your wedding, below are some sample plans to
help you get started. Keep in mind that the
most important thing is for a bride to feel
good about herself. And no matter what size
or shape, all brides are beautiful on their
wedding day!
Sample
Exercise FITscription:
20 – 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise
(3 – 5 time per week)
Example: 2-5 minutes of brisk walking, 2-5 minutes
of jumping jacks (repeat for 20 – 30 minutes)
Sample
Meal Plan:
Eat 5-7 small meals per day (meals should
include protein, grains, vegetables, etc. to
meet the food pyramid daily requirements)
Example:
Small, grilled, skinless chicken breast
Slice of whole wheat bread
Slice of cheese
Mixed Vegetables
Glass of Water (2 or 3 would be even better)
Lynn Bode, author
and certified personal trainer, offers brides
an affordable and convenient way to get fit through
her company, WorkoutsForYou.com. WorkoutsForYou
can help you get the body you've always dreamed
of in time for your wedding day. Visit www.workoutsforyou.com
for more information and a sample workout plan.
