It’s only natural to want to be the best version of yourself on your big day. Whether brides-to-be want dazzling white teeth, perfectly colored hair, glowing skin, or fit figures, they often go to great lengths to achieve their desired bridal look. Something we strongly discourage.
For those looking to drop a few pounds, it’s tempting to want to find the quickest and easiest way—but those are often not the healthiest. In fact, it’s often the worst way to achieve your goals. We chatted with registered dietitian and nutritionist Vanessa Rissetto for her advice on how to diet for your big day, the healthy way.
Prepare in Advance
One of the golden rules of healthy weight loss is to do it slow and steady, yet brides-to-be often see their wedding as a deadline instead of as part of the process. Busy brides often start late, or feel added pressures, yet Rissetto sternly warns, “No crash diets. Whatever you’re going to follow, start at least six months in advance. It gives you time to see results and makes sure nothing too drastic happens.” Aside from the added health benefits of slow and steady weight loss, it also helps you avoid unanticipated issues. Rissetto shares, “I had a friend once go so a crazy crash diet three weeks before her wedding, she lost too much weight and her dress was falling down all night.”
Be Smart
One of the worst things a bride can do on her weight loss journey is to practice bad eating habits or hop on trendy bandwagons, like cleanses. Rissetto warns against “not eating at all, or following one of these ridiculous juice cleanses where you only eat 1 tsp of peanut butter before you faint.” Instead, she recommends, “a varied diet, with controlled portions, lots of fiber, lots of water, and daily exercise.”
Avoid crash dieting and cleanses at all costs. She explains, “They never work, you’ll gain the weight back the second you eat anything, and, let’s be serious, what a miserable way to exist.”
In addition to proper and safe nutrition and exercise, it is also recommended to set small, achievable goals when changing your eating habits. “Trying to commit to too many things at once will definitely result in serious disaster. It’s not achievable and leaves one feeling bad about themselves,” Rissetto warns. “Maybe you drink regular soda every day, so the goal for me would be to start with every other day and if we could do that, then we would move to every two days and so forth. If I tell you to quit something cold turkey, you will be resentful and likely not have success.” Slow and steady will win the race.
