It’s the Second week of January in the New Year, and those resolutions are starting to wane.
You promised yourself you were going to lose X amount of lb’s for the big day, so you can look as amazing as possible in that wedding dress.
But you can’t have this and you can’t drink that; it feels like you’re denying yourself everything. Sounds pretty miserable to me.
So why set yourself up to fail?
Yes you may be getting married this year, but is it really worth making yourself miserable searching for that unattainable goal?
If your goal is weight loss and losing a certain number of lb’s by your wedding day, that’s fair enough, but it’s not the only indicator of living a healthier lifestyle. Instead, why not try and set goals that are more realistic, and also when you hit them, you will be prouder and feel much better.
These goals I’m going to talk about will help ensure you feel amazing on your wedding day. However, try not to do them all at once, as it can get all too much too fast.
Build them up one by one, so by the time your wedding day rolls around, you will feel amazing, and will have done it in a healthy progressive way.
*It’s important to remember that we are not health professionals and always seek advice from a doctor before embarking on any new health regime.
Easy health goals to aim for (Your new and improved resolutions if you like)
Drink more water
Water is amazing for your skin and will help with that glowy feeling you’re forever lusting after on Instagram. If you find this hard, get one of those water bottles that tell you when to drink, so you can track how much fluid you’re taking in. That way, you don’t even have to think about it!
Take your Measurements
We often find that jumping on the scales once a week makes us feel sad and I personally find that it’s harder to feel good about myself if I’m constantly chasing a number on the scales. If your goal is to lose fat, taking your measurements is a good way to keep an eye on your body and you can track how much it changes as you add in healthy habits.
Get more sleep
Or if you struggle to sleep, then build more resting time into your day, That’s not screen time by the way, rest time would be either reading a book, or just laying with your eyes closed. As long as you’re still and not heavily focussed on a screen, you’re resting. Excessive screen time can cause bags under your eyes to look worse, so try and limit how long you stare at your phone, even if it means leaving wedding boards on Pinterest alone for a few hours.
Get outside
This is a nice gentle way of easing you into exercise if you’re really not an exercise sort of person. Plus being outside is great for your mental health, and if you’ve been feeling frazzled lately with the guest list or the ever-lengthening wedding to do list, then it will help clear the cobwebs and should help you feel a little more refreshed. If nothing else, it will help build your stamina for all the standing around (and hopefully dancing) you’ll be doing on your wedding day!
Add a little fruit and veg
If you’re a fruit and veg avoider, don’t panic, we’re not telling you to worship kale! However, if you want to feel wonderful on your wedding day, you do need to think about adding a little of the good stuff into your diet. If you have toast for breakfast, try adding in an orange too to start your day. If you’re carb mad, then maybe switch up your potato wedges with carrot or butternut squash ones instead. Extra flavour to entice your tastebuds.
Cook from Scratch more often
People often say they don’t have time to cook, and so just throw a ready meal in the oven and they think they’re golden. But, if you’re wanting to feel and look the absolute picture of health on your wedding day, these ready meals can be full of hidden dangers. Many Ready Meals often come packed with salt, which can cause excessive bloating. Also, often the nutritious value you get from ready meals is negligible, so you’re not getting much from them, other than the fact that it fills you for a short time.
If you lead a super busy life and don’t have much time to cook, try and plan in even just 15-20 minutes to prepare some healthy meals. If you’re stuck for something quick to make, Google is your friend! There are tonnes of cheap fast recipes out there for the busy worker bee; have a search and you’re sure to find a few easy recipes you can come back to time and time again.
If you really are a busy individual, but want to make healthier choices, read the nutrition labels on ready meals. There are healthy options out there; you just have to be smart and in the know. 🙂
Be Kinder to yourself
This all sounds really simple and you’ve probably heard it all before, but try not to limit yourself to ‘losing a stone for the wedding’ or ‘I can’t have cake until I get married’ or even ‘no more alcohol until the big day’. This way of thinking isn’t helpful and can make you feel like a failure, because your brain sees it as being denied something, and so naturally, wants it even more.
Instead, try and think like this; ‘That cake looks nice, and I can have it if I want it, but I might feel sluggish later after the sugar come down’, If you still want the cake, then go for it. You are allowed to eat whatever you like in the run up to your wedding day, and any other time for that matter.
Just try and be a little more mindful and kinder to your body and maybe throw out those harsh New Year’s Resolutions, and instead bring more long term ones like ‘Try and eat a little more fruit every day’ or ‘I’m going to go to bed and read instead of scrolling on my phone’.
Wedding planning is stressful enough as it is, so don’t be too hard on yourself by setting Extreme Resolutions for the big day. It’s the best day of your life; enjoy the run up to it. 🙂
