10 tips to stay fit and fab beyond your big fat wedding

While it’s great to use your wedding as a motivation to eat and exercise better, it is important to remember that life continues after the reception gets over. As much as most brides wish to look and feel their best on their big day, becoming your healthiest self for life is equally important.

Your D-day is filled with fun, joy and food. Even after the wedding, food is the highlight of all occasions – aside from the newlywed couple, of course, and it can impact your body in the form of increased weight.

For a woman to get back in shape after her wedding, first of all, she must have the right mindset and then she must make conscious choices about her diet.

Here are some tips on how to do maintain post wedding fitness:

1. Chalk out a fitness plan

Plan training sessions with your husband. Do your grocery shopping together, read labels, and plan your meals. You don’t have to gain weight because you are married now. Just a few minor changes to everyday life, coupled with a well-planned nutritious diet, can provide positive results. You will continue to stick to the regime because of how your body feels and looks. Your body composition is improved and you become stronger in general.

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2. Start with a 30-minute workout

To increase stamina and build cardiovascular strength, do 30 minutes of cardio exercises daily with your husband. One should return to a regular workout regime post wedding, working out 5 times a week with a combination of cardio, weights, and yoga or Pilates.

3. Track your meals:

You need to keep track of what you eat too. Avoid sugar and carbonated drinks, fruit juices, alcoholic beverages as they are high in calories. Opt for coconut water. Have protein as prescribed by your nutritionist and make meals balanced to reduce belly fat. Avoid simple carbohydrates like maida, sugar, noodles, refined wheat, white rice, etc. and replace them with complex carbohydrates like whole grains, brown rice, buckwheat, daliya, oats. More options on how to replace these in your everyday meals can be given by your nutritionist. Eat foods rich in fibre, especially viscous fibre as they aid in weight loss. Whole plant foods such as beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and oats are rich in viscous fibre. Also, add good fats such as olive oil, almonds oil or walnuts/flax seeds oil in the diet.

4. Eat at regular intervals:

One often tends to binge eat when we are hungry for long hours. Avoid extensive gaps between your meals. Eating at regular intervals and in controlled portions helps to keep up satiety levels and prevent overeating due to unmanaged hunger or emotional eating.

5. Don’t skip your workouts:

During the honeymoon phase, many tend to give up exercises. Once the touch from workouts is gone, it could be difficult to get back. The idea is to continue and adapt to a routine you can follow from anywhere in the world. Brisk walking can be a good idea while on your trips. Don’t skip days just because your wedding is over. If there’s ever a day you feel like skipping, commit to a 15-minute sweat session, and who knows, you may be motivated to keep going!

6. Mix up your workouts:

Running or using the elliptical every day is better than nothing, but it’s important to ‘trick’ your body and change it up. Strength training routines are key in weight loss and maintaining your wedding shape.

Keep an idea of your risk of weight-related issues.

Check BMI

7. Drink tons of water:

Always. While plain water is best for staying hydrated, coconut water, infused water can be added too. Certain fruits and vegetables contain plenty of water in addition to healthy nutrients. Watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches and pineapples are fruits with high-water content.

8. Get adequate sleep:

Healthy sleep helps the body remain healthy and stave off diseases. Without enough sleep, the brain cannot function properly.

9. Go easy on yourself:

A few fluctuations in the scale while on a weight loss journey is okay. The idea is to focus on how you feel from within in terms of energy levels, skin texture, hair growth, toning and inch loss, etc. A scale is just a number, make sure to make progress each day. Just maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen and don’t put pressure on yourself.

9. Use the buddy system:

Get your partner on board. Together, do exercises, cook healthy meals, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Become each other’s motivation and strive to work out daily.

10. Don’t obsess or compare:

Do not compare yourself to others or your pre-wedding self. Accepting that everyone is unique and ensuring that you are at a healthy weight is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Most of all, stay happy!