How to Lose Weight for the Wedding in 2 Months
If you’re interested in a diet plan to lose weight, you’ve come to the right blog. I focus on helping women choose right for their calorie intake needs, so they can eat as much food as possible, be full & satisfied, and lose weight effortlessly.
My perspective with weight loss is to focus on meals high in protein, fat, and vegetables. I also focus on creating extremely simple meals so that you can actually stick with the plans and eat healthy foods when you’re busy. Seriously- these meals I recommend often take 5-15 minutes to make - ordering out honestly takes way longer than that, and is way more expensive!
How to Lose Weight for the Wedding in 2 Months
1.1. General Foods to Eat
Sticking with a diet full of a variety of colorful vegetables (different colors yield different nutrients), protein sources (like eggs, salmon, chicken, etc.), and fats (like avocado, olives, guacamole, and nuts) is helpful for looking and feeling your best on the big day.
2. Foods for Clear Skin
All brides want glowing skin on their wedding day. If acne is a potential issue, try limiting dairy products (like cheese, milk, and yogurt), and being sure to stay hydrated with water or seltzers (if they don’t contribute to bloating).
3. Plan Your Meal Times
It’s a good idea to structure your meals every 3-4 hours. This allows your body to go through its natural hunger and fullness cycles. So for example, eat at 8am, 12pm, 3pm, and 7pm. Including the consumption of complex carbs will also help you stay fuller longer and keep you energized throughout the day. Some examples of foods with complex carbs include nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables. These foods take longer to break down, are high in fiber, and nutrient rich, which is what you want from food when you’re leading a healthy lifestyle and wanting to lose weight.
4. Focus on protein & fat at Breakfast and Snacks
These foods keep you fullest for longest. Some examples include:
2 hard boiled eggs + 1 piece of fruit (like an apple, pear, etc.) + 1 string cheese
2 hard boiled eggs + 1 single-serving package of guacamole
2 fried eggs + 1/2 avocado
1/4 cup of nuts (or get a 1-ounce pre-packaged baggie) + 1 piece of fruit
1/4 cup of nuts + 1 string cheese
1 latte with 2% milk and sugar-free syrup and 1/8 cup nuts (or a 100-calorie pack)
One 2% plain yogurt + 1/3 cup frozen fruit
5. Follow my “formula” for lunches & dinners
My “formula” is: 2 cups of veggies + 100-200 calories of fats + 4-5 oz protein. So for example:
2 cups baby carrots (veggie) + 2 hard boiled eggs (protein) + 1/4 cup nuts (fat)
2 cups celery sticks (veggie) + 4oz turkey slices (protein) + 2 slices of cheddar cheese (fat)
2 cups tomato slices (veggie) + 1 can tuna (protein) + 2 Tbsp mayo (fat)
2 cups cucumber slices (veggie) + 1 packet turkey jerky (protein) + 1 high fat yogurt (fat)
6. Make Snacks Count
In general, I recommend for snacks:
Nuts or nut butters (in single-serving amounts): choose a variety of nuts to get all the benefits - no one nut is better than another.
Hard Boiled Eggs: Did you know hard boiled eggs last a whole week? Make a dozen on the weekend (only peel them when you're ready to eat them). Top them with Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel seasoning or grated Parmesan cheese.
Single-serving Cheeses: I love string cheese and other single-serving cheeses like slices of cheese or round cheese in wax. So filling and tasty!
Jerky: Seriously one of my favorite filling snacks. So tasty and great protein.
Greek Yogurt or Skyr: These great single-serving options are full of high-quality protein, often probiotics, and are usually great sources of calcium.
7. ALCOHOL in moderation
Make a plan for how often you’d like to include alcohol for the week. 4 drinks for the week? How do you want to distribute them?
8. Keep your favorite DESSERTS in your plan
Also make a separate plan for dessert. How often do you personally need dessert? Once a day? Twice a week? Just make a plan. You’ll want to limit (or avoid as much as possible) trans fats in your diet as the consumption of trans fats has been found to increase the risk of heart disease. Trans fats can be found in a lot of fried foods like doughnuts and even baked goods like cakes, pie crusts, and cookies, etc.
9. How to Decrease Bloating - Flat Tummy Tips
Eat Proper-Sized Meals - Not over-eating can be incredibly helpful with decreasing bloating. This Is definitely the #1 trick for me! Planning ahead & sticking with your meal plan is key.
Try a Probiotic - Several studies have shown that certain probiotic supplements can help reduce gas production and bloating in people with digestive problems. Probiotic supplements can take a while to start working though, so be patient. This is the one I recommend.
Drink Up - There actually isn's a ton of research to show that this is actually beneficial - but drinking plenty of water definitely won't hurt you. Try to drink at least 2 cups with each meal. Remember still water is preferable to sparkling. Add some lemon or lime for flavor if you like.
10. EXERCISE
Creating a workout plan out 30 minutes a day, three times a week will not only help you lose weight, but building muscle helps you burn body fat even when you’re not exercising. You can invest in a personal trainer for the weeks leading up to the wedding day. This doesn’t have to be a long term investment, but can help you look great in your wedding dress.
You want to include a mixture of strength training and some minutes of cardio to get the best results. Weights don’t have to mean bulking up and gaining weight so don’t be scared to try them. Listen to your body and go at your own pace. If exercise is new, don’t overdo it. Start small and build up your time, weights or distance as you go.
11. When you Get Closer to the Wedding
A new way of eating or eating foods your body may not be used to is unwise on this important day. Don't include foods these 1-2 weeks before the wedding that you don't typically eat. Stick with the tried & true right now.
For example, if your diet is not generally comprised of foods high in fiber, like cruciferous vegetables, beans, and whole grains, it's not advised to eat these types of foods the day of the wedding.
Tracking what you’re eating with an app can also be very helpful during this time, as having objective measures of what is working can decrease stress.
12. Day of the Wedding Recommendations
Of course, you should 100% enjoy yourself today. But, if we're eating foods in large quantities, and foods our bodies aren't used to, we may not feel our best & most confident. Here are some recommendations.
Importance of eating. Skipping meals can lead to low blood sugar, which can leave you feeling not only “hangry”, but faint. Feeling this way isn’t good for handling emotions or looking your best in photos.
Throughout the Day: To keep your energy levels up without feeling queasy, try mini meals with foods your body is comfortable with. Some example mini meals are:
Hard boiled eggs and a slice of hard cheese (e.g. cheddar)
Carrots and peanut butter
Oatmeal with nuts and cinnamon
Stay Hydrated: Also, stay hydrated and drink plenty of fluids the day before and first thing in the morning. Continue to sip on water consistently throughout the day.
Avoid Carbonation: It also may be wise to avoid carbonated beverages since they can lead to bloating.
Alcohol: A good rule of thumb to drink at least one cup of water in between each alcoholic drink. Stick to alcoholic beverages your body is familiar with to prevent any surprise reactions.
What about Caffeine? If caffeine is a part of your normal day, it’s definitely fine to have on the day of the wedding in amounts similar to what you’re used to.
To Go Plate: Ask your caterer to make a plate for you that you can enjoy the next day. Often brides get so busy at the actual wedding that they miss their own food!