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Your perfect wedding should include a healthy you, mentally and physically.  While you dive into every detail of your perfect wedding day, remember to dive into yourself. 

 

First, let’s tackle any upcoming stress with good sleep.  If you smoke, you should speak to your physician about quitting.  Do you drink?  Alcohol is a natural depressant and it disrupts deep sleep.  Limit use.  Develop a consistent night-time routine.  Begin to mentally decompress at least 30 minutes prior to bed: unplug from electronics, dim your lights, cut off mental stimulants like the TV or music, practice mindfulness, etc.  Stop eating or drinking a few hours before bed.  Keep naps short and limit them to earlier in the day.  Limit caffeine to the morning or early afternoon.  Make your bedroom comfortable and reserve it for sleep and sex only. A consistent good night’s sleep will optimize your health and allow you to focus on your day.

 

Will a part of your day be developing a weight management routine?  Develop a goal that focuses on your physical being and mental wellness. Fitting into that dress or suit is important, but not at the expense of your health.  If your goal is to lose weight, avoid starvation and losing weight as quickly as possible.  If your goal is to maintain your weight, the following tips will be helpful as well.  Focus on developing a weight management plan that is sustainable long-term, including choosing a diet catered to your lifestyle and/or food preferences.

 

Start with the following to create a healthy sustainable approach to eating

• Eliminate caloric beverages. Drink water!
• Reduce processed foods and eat more fiber rich foods.
• Portion control. When on the go, use a simple measure by hand chart.
• Monitor your caloric intake/expenditure and your reaction to different foods (ie bloating)

 

Next, consult a dietician to optimize an individual diet plan. Adherence is key to success. 

• Portion Controlled Meals: Includes pre-packaged meals, nutrition bars, formulated drinks, etc. Ideal for those with little time.  Offers accurate monitoring of caloric intake
• Low caloric diet: The Mediterranean and DASH diets lower the risk of heart disease. Both are rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains and low in meat and dairy. 
• Intermittent fasting: Avoidance of eating during a certain time of the day.
• Low fat diet: Includes low fat options with healthy carbohydrates (ie fruits, vegetables and whole grains)
• Low carbohydrate diet: Focuses on the intake of healthy fats and protein (ie fish, poultry, nuts and legumes).
• High protein: At least 20% of daily calories are from protein. Increases fullness.

 

In trying to lose weight, think about your overall health.  If you are medically obese, an initial weight loss of 5-10% offers amazing health benefits.  It lowers your cholesterol, the risk of diabetes mellitus type II, the risk of high blood pressure and overall decreased risk of heart disease. Now, not everyone needs to lose 5-10% of their weight.  Be realistic with your goals and consult a physician for further advice. 

 

Irrespective of your weight goal, to lose weight you have to expend more calories than you take in.  You will never out exercise a daily horrible diet.  Stick to your diet and exercise regimen!  If you’re older, shake it off! Although, our bodies burn energy slower with age, nothing out competes commitment to change.  The American Heart Association recommends at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate intensity exercises to lower the risk of heart disease.  Moderate intensity exercises increase your heart rate, breathing rate and yet you are still able to speak.  These exercises should be paired with strengthening and stretching routines to optimize health.   To optimize weight loss, these exercise regimens should create a caloric deficit.

 

Now, you have been committed to this lifestyle change, but you have not reached your weight loss goal.  There are medications that can be used short term with continuation of your lifestyle change.  Remember you are an individual. Medications will work differently for each person.  If you do lose weight while taking the medication, you will reach a point where the weight loss ceases.  Also, when you stop the medication, weight gain is expected.  This is why adherence to your diet and exercise regimen is the key to your success. You should consult a physician to discuss your options.  Here’s a few pointers to aid in that discussion:

• Look at the cost.
• What are the side effects? Side effects can range from, but are not limited to, gastrointestinal changes to changes in mental health to worsening blood pressure or cardiovascular disease
• Is the medication safe to use while pregnant?
• Does the medication have a potential for abuse?
• How often should you see a physician to be monitored?
• What is your weight loss goal before considering to discontinue the medication?

 

Fast forward, you look amazing after following your new health routine!  If you lost weight remember these simple facts that could lead to weight gain: (1) losing weight leads to a decrease in energy expenditure, (2) the hormones that tell you to eat, are more active, and (3) these hormone changes can persist for at least a year. Whether you lost weight or were already at your weight goal, maintain that sustainable diet and exercise regimen!

 

Wow you really showed out! It’s the week of your wedding and you really want to finish off strong.  You’re not going to let bloating prevent you from fitting into that dress or suit, or those killer shoes! Avoid the foods that make you gassy or bloated and keep it simple.

Don’t: chew gum, drink carbonated beverages, smoke, eat quickly, drink alcohol*

Do: treat your gastric reflex, practice breathing in with your nose and out with your mouth to decrease belching, exercise

 

*That pre-wedding toast is okay, but limit your drinks.  Alcohol dehydrates your body, leading to bloating of the face, stomach, legs, etc.  Prevent dehydration by staying hydrated with water.

 

Now, I hope in this process that you got some really good sleep.  You feel good! You’re happy! You’re excited!  You’ve already set in motion how to maintain good physical and mental health.  The world awaits.  Your partner awaits! Congratulations