All the brides wish to show their best look in wedding, so many brides want to lose weight before their big day. Follow our guidelines and, without counting a calorie or weighing a single morsel that passes your lips, watch the pounds drop off…
Don’t
* Eat when you’re not hungry. Most of us have got into the habit of eating for reasons other than hunger, when we’re bored or angry, say. Whenever you feel hungry ask yourself: “Am I really hungry or is it something else?” If it’s a comfort you’re after, do something else: have a bath, phone a friend, double-check your wedding plans.
* Expect a huge change in your weight overnight. Aim to lose 1 to 2lbs per week.
* Weigh yourself every day as you’ll only be measuring changes in your body water. A weekly weigh in, at the same time of day, will give you a far more accurate record of your progress.
* Be fooled by low-fat food claims. Some foods may claim that they’re low fat, even when the fat content could still be contributing up to 40 per cent of the calories. What’s more, fat-free foods often need something else to replace the flavour, usually sugar!
Do
* Eat more fruit and vegetables.
* Fill up on high-fibre carbohydrates. They’re low fat, but will help you to feel fuller for longer. Because these foods are processed by the body at a slow, steady pace, they help to keep hunger pangs at bay. Good high-fibre carbohydrate foods include wholegrain rice, pasta and bread, oats, vegetables, pulses (lentils and beans) and fruit.
* Eat some high-protein foods such as meat and poultry. Grill or roast rather than fry. Always trim off any visible fat and remove the skin from chicken and turkey.
* Eat some fat, but especially the polyunsaturated kind found in seeds and fish.
* Drink plenty of water — up to eight glasses a day.
* Eat regularly — up to five times a day. Don’t allow more than three hours to elapse between meals or snacks. Eating little and often will help to stave off the hunger pangs and keep your blood sugar levels even, helping you to avoid cravings.
* Eat when you’re hungry. If you don’t, your body thinks it’s being starved and starts burning vital muscle for energy rather than excess fat.
* Eat slowly and stop when you’re full. You don’t have to clear your plate.
* Eat a little of what you fancy. You can eat chocolate in moderation: as long as you can control the urge to binge, it won’t hamper your weight loss.
* Drink alcohol in moderation. If you want a drink, have a glass with your evening meal, but don’t store up your daily allowance for a weekend blow out — it’ll do you more harm than good.
* Remember that you’ll get more of what you focus on. So spend some time each day picturing yourself as you would like to be – slim and gorgeous in your wedding dress…
* Get more exercise. Just 20 minutes of aerobic activity releases hormones called endorphins that help to improve your mood. The Health Education Authority actually recommends 30 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy. However, you don’t have to join a gym to work out. Brisk walking will do the trick — it actually burns more calories than low-impact aerobics. All you need to do is invest in a pair of good trainers.
* One way to tot up your 30 minutes of activity is to get off the bus a few stops early, take a walk in your lunch break or walk to work instead of driving. Plan your walks so that you cover flat, uphill and downhill terrain. Start out at a gentle pace and gradually build up. Try to alter the speed and intensity of your walks; do a slow ramble one day and a short, fast walk the next.
