6 Bridal Health Mistakes (and what to do about them)

Written with love, by Jennifer Dene (Jennifer Dene Wellness LLC)

 

Every bride wants to look and feel her best on her wedding day. Unfortunately, this often leads to unsustainable diets and extreme detoxes, and weight loss methods that can negatively impact long-term health. While the wedding can motivate brides to eat better and exercise, keeping the body of their dreams after the big “I Do” is usually much more challenging.

Every woman can feel fit, feminine and fabulous for her wedding day and beyond simply by avoiding these six common mistakes.



Mistake One

Choosing a short term fix instead of a long term change.

6 bridal health mistakes // bridal health and fitness

The number one mistake that brides make is assuming that their commitment to healthy living will end at the wedding. Women who view weight loss as temporary tend to regain the weight they lose (and often gain even more) once they return to their normal eating and fitness habits. To make matters worse, crash diets result in a loss of muscle mass, meaning that the weight regained is pure body fat.

In order to successfully maintain the body of your dreams, you must create permanent lifestyle change. Visualize yourself as fit, radiant and healthy for life after “I Do”, and the results you achieve for your wedding day will last long into the future.



Mistake Two

Exercising without a progressive schedule.

Weddings create a sudden boost of motivation to get fit and lean, yet training without a specific plan for muscular sculpting and weight loss will not achieve the desired results and may lead to injury.

The key is to train on a progressive schedule. Varying your workouts by increasing intensity and resistance will enable you to build strength, burn fat and prevent the body from becoming complacent.

6 bridal health mistakes // bridal health and fitness



Mistake Three

Giving in to the guilty pleasures of your fiance.

You are engaged and in love, and all you want to do is spend time with your partner, drinking wine and updating your registry. Allowing your partner to derail your workout and healthy eating plans even a few days each week will negatively impact your results.

Communicating that you need his support in losing weight will help you stay on track and might even encourage him to do the same. Start by finding areas of compromise that will move you closer to your goals without totally giving up the things you love. For example, the next time you have dinner out, suggest buying a glass of wine each instead of a bottle.



Mistake Four

Eliminating healthy fats and eating fake foods.

Not all calories are created equal. Eating processed, low calorie foods might seem like a smart choice but will actually have a negative impact on your health and weight loss goals. Not only do fake foods lack the important nutrients that lead to glowing skin, healthy nails and shiny hair, but the body requires good fats in order to metabolize proteins and burn body fat as fuel.

Build your diet around naturally low fat foods such as vegetables, lean proteins, fruits, and whole grains. Add heart healthy fats in moderation, such as avocados, salmon, nuts and quality oils.



Mistake Five

Exercising in a style that is not suitable for your body type.

6 bridal health mistakes // bridal health and fitness

Different body types need different workouts, and just because a certain exercise is popular, doesn’t mean that it’s right for you. Some women thrive with endurance cardio while others respond well to short cardio intervals. Heavy lifting might be your preferred form of resistance training, or perhaps you achieve your best results with high-repetition body weight sculpting.

Training specifically for your body type enables you to achieve results with greater ease, speed and safety. I recommend speaking to a trainer, preferably one whose look you would like to emulate, to determine the best exercise style for your body type and your wedding-specific goals.



Mistake Six

Not creating a support system.

It’s tough to be successful without the support of your loved ones. Share your wedding weight loss and wellness goals with your fiance, family and girlfriends and ask them to help you stay accountable.


Jennifer Dene Wellness LLC // Mind Body Bride

Jennifer Dene Wellness is committed to bringing the best nutrition, fitness and lifestyle advice to brides-to-be and in doing so, gives women around the world the power to create a sustainable, healthy and vibrant lifestyle that will stay with them long after their wedding day.

Jennifer Dene has been working in the health and fitness industry since 2009. Her multi-directional approach to women's wellness comes from her background as a trained Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer and Health Coach. Jennifer holds a degree in communications and journalism from the University of Technology, Sydney and blogs at mindbodybride where she champions anti-diet wedding wellness.