Gaining weight for your wedding

It’s four weeks before your wedding day and BAM; your wedding dress is too tight! Easy ways for brides to avoid this nightmare.

WHAT! Yep – You heard it right. While planning, navigating seating charts, enjoying the bridal shower and checking off the millions of tasks on the daunting “to do” list, many brides are in tears four weeks before the wedding because the dress won’t zip. EVERY. BRIDE’S. NIGHTMARE.

How does this happen? Bride’s magazines filled with work out tactics and features on how to get fit for the big day are abound! There are wedding diets, pills, potions and magic fairy dust to avoid this disaster. Right?

It’s no secret many women are busy on a regular basis. Career, household and family obligations and a plethora of responsibilities some can only imagine. Adding a wedding as a topper could end in utter disaster relating to weight gain.

The meetings with the wedding planner, food and cake tastings, girls night out to celebrate (again), not eating and then being so hungry you’ll eat anything quick and easy wreaks havoc on metabolism. Truthfully it destroys the beautiful hum of a well-running machine. Feeling ravished and rushed causes us to make all of the wrong fat, sugar and salt laden choices. Add a layer or two of stress, and the body’s cortisol levels shoot up. Cortisol is a stress hormone. Increased cortisol levels cause weight gain and the inability to sleep. See (and feel) the cycle?

Never fear, if the bride begins her master plan with these points in mind, she can completely avoid the entire dress disaster. A couple of years ago I developed a bridal preparation program for this exact scenario. It was heart-wrenching to see brides in tears as they showed up to work out with dark circles and a couple of bags of Louis Vuitton under their eyes. Stress is a legitimate factor while planning a lifetime memory like a wedding.

The key is, to plug vital lifestyle NEEDS into the wedding planning process.

HOW? There’s no time. Well, to avoid pulling those beautiful locks out of your head and gaining 10 lbs in the process the following measures are crucial.

1.    While executing the wedding timeline and tasks, scheduling personal care MUST be included.

2.   Canceling workouts is NOT an option. Re-read the consequences above.

3.   Food preparation is essential. Everyone needs a little help at times. If you regularly prepare meals now is the time to locate a healthily prepared food delivery service in your area. Only heating is required, and nutritious food is available to you at all times.

4.   Massage Therapy is a necessity. Fatigue, sore muscles from your trainer kicking your butt, the stress and elevated cortisol levels make this a priority.

5.   Meditation. A million details are swirling in your head, how in the world can you meditate? Remember, meditation has many shapes: color in an adult coloring book for 15 minutes, close your eyes for just five minutes while focusing on your breath, or at the very least walk the dog (no phones allowed) and talk to your pet about something other than the wedding.

There are many, many other tips and tricks. However, the key is to include your life and health in the wedding planning process. The festivities last a few short hours. Including self-care and your well-being helps to keep you on track and reduces anxiety and pressure.

“Just making it” to the ceremony with worry, overly nervous jitters and fainting as you walk towards your mate is not a good look, let’s be honest. This scene plays out frequently as a result of trying to be Super Woman without proper nutrition, hydration, and exercise.

The blessing of arriving at your wedding ceremony calmly and healthy with no dress drama is priceless. Walking down the aisle to your soul mate with butterflies in your stomach, a tear in your eye and your heart filled with joy and excitement is irreplaceable.