You have just said “yes!” and set the date and you are over the moon! Now the wedding planning begins! Preparing for your big day is SO exciting!

I’m not sure which is more fun, choosing your wedding dress or wedding cake tasting! Of course, you also have to find a venue, caterer, DJ/band, photographer and officiant. Don’t forget to ask your favorite people to be in your bridal party and to invite your guests.

AND with so much to think about and plan for your wedding day, don’t forget about yourself! If you want to lose weight before your wedding, that takes planning too! Is your goal to lose 20 pounds before you walk down the aisle? That is totally doable in one year! In general, 1-2 pounds a week is considered healthy, sustainable weight loss.

The key is starting your weight loss journey on time. If you start just a few weeks before your wedding, you’ll put too much pressure on yourself, and you won’t be able to do it in a healthy way, nor will you be able to sustain it long-term. Instead, you want to give yourself plenty of time for your weight loss journey, so you can do it in a healthy way, and reach your weight loss goals for your wedding day.

How to Lose Weight For Your Wedding Over A Year

I recommend 7 basic steps to follow for one year… and every year after!

1. PLAN YOUR MEAL TIMES

It’s a good idea to structure your meals every 3-4 hours. This allows your body to go through it’s natural hunger and fullness cycles. So for example, eat at 8am, 12pm, 3pm, and 7pm.

It is a good idea to add meal planning into this step as well, so you know what to eat at each meal time.

2. COUNT YOUR CALORIES

Here’s how I recommend determining the calorie goal that’s right for your body:

1. Track what you’re eating without any restriction for 3-7 days. I like the LoseIt app
2. Take the average of those days to get your weight maintenance calories
3. Subtract 100-300 calories to get your new goal

I find this method works much better than online calorie calculators, which don’t take your metabolism into account.

Once you know how many calories you need to eat, make a plan and follow it! At the end of these tips, I have added a one-year diet plan.

3. FOCUS ON PROTEIN & FAT AT BREAKFAST AND SNACKS

Proteins and fats will keep you fuller much longer than foods higher in carbs. If you make sure your breakfast foods are higher protein and more fat you will have the energy you need for the day AND you won’t feel the need to snack in between breakfast and lunch.

4. FOLLOW MY “FORMULA” FOR LUNCHES & DINNERS

My “formula” is: 2 cups of veggies + 100-200 calories of fats + 4-5 oz protein.

This gives you a great starting point for counting your calories. Lunches and dinners will be around the same calorie count, and you can adjust your breakfasts and snacks to fill out the rest of your daily calories.

5. MAKE SNACKS COUNT

Snacks are a great way to satisfy your hunger without overdoing it on calories. Sometimes you just need a few bites in between meals. Choose something low calorie, but high in nutrition.

6. EXERCISE

When you are working on losing weight, your exercise regimen does not need to be anything crazy. Most of the heavy lifting in weight loss comes from making healthy eating choices, but 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week can go a long way in helping you reach your goals.

If you need the extra motivation, work with a personal trainer to set a workout plan that works for you.

Keep in mind that strength training can often be even more effective for weight loss than cardio, so incorporate strength training into your workout routines.

7. MANAGE YOUR STRESS

Planning a wedding can be a stressful process, and stress contributes to weight gain.

Enlist help in the planning process. Let your mom and bridesmaids help with the details. If you can, consider hiring a wedding planner.

When you feel your stress rising, employ your favorite stress management techniques… and go get a massage!

8. GET ENOUGH SLEEP

When you’re sleep deprived, you’re actually prone to weight gain and getting food cravings. I know preparing for your special day might require some sleepless nights, but try to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

9. STAY HYDRATED

Staying hydrated is important not only for your weight loss journey, but for you overall health.

One Year Away Wedding Diet Plan

Once you have determined how many calories YOU need every day for weight loss, you want to create a plan. I have several ready made meal plans for different calorie levels that I will link to at the end, but here are some general tips to create your meal plan. You can adjust this week to week or month to month over the next year.

Remember, you want it to be sustainable, not a short term solution.

If it’s getting close to your wedding and you want to lose weight fast, look at this post: How to Lose Weight for the Wedding 3 Months Away

Breakfast Foods that Keep You Full

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

Examples of Lunches & Dinners that Follow My “Formula”

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)

Snacks That Count

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.

Moderation is Key

Alcohol and dessert can be the biggest diet killers, but you don’t have to get rid of them completely.

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?

Make a separate plan for dessert. How often do you, personally, need dessert? Once a day? Twice a week? Just make a plan so you don’t overdo it.

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't 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.

For more tips and specific meal plans check out these posts:

How to Lose Weight for Your Wedding Over a Year Away