If you’re getting married in the next six to nine months, you’re probably stressed. And what happens when you get stressed? You stop engaging in the healthy behaviors and habits that you know you should be prioritizing.
But it’s time to reverse that trend and get healthy. Here are some helpful tips:
1. Set a Goal
It’s not enough to say, “I want to look and feel great on my wedding day!” That might be true, but you have to set concrete goals to help you achieve this end result. In other words, it must be quantifiable.
When setting fitness goals, you should make them specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Here are some examples
Bad Goal: I want to lose weight.
Good Goal: I want to lose 12 pounds by May 1 by running three miles at least 5 days per week.
Do you see the difference? The end outcome is the same, but the specificity of the second goal makes success much more likely.
2. Create a Workout Plan
Armed with a goal, you can create a workout plan that helps you achieve the desired result. The easiest way to do this is by working with an online personal trainer who fits into your schedule and gives you the exact daily steps for productive workouts.
Whether the goal is to lose weight, tone your body, or add muscle mass, having a plan will help you achieve the desired outcome with much more precision.
3. Eat Healthy
In addition to working out, you also need to eat right. Some personal trainers can also help you create a diet plan. Otherwise, you might want to hire a dietician to help you create a dedicated meal plan.
From a dietary perspective, losing weight is all about what you eat and how much you eat. Here are several tips to help you optimize your diet for weight loss:
Eat lots of protein.
If you can get protein to equal 25 to 30 percent of your daily caloric intake, you’ll lose more weight at a faster pace. Try eating a high-protein breakfast to fuel your body for the day and reduce cravings.
Stay hydrated.
Consuming at least 11 cups of water per day (or 16 cups per day for men) will make you feel full and reduce unhealthy cravings. It also helps your body recover from workouts, which improves results.
Eat more fiber.
A diet that’s high in fiber can promote weight loss (for obvious reasons). Try integrating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts into your diet.
4. Avoid Bad Habits
There are several bad habits that can hold you back and prevent you from getting in shape. Here are a couple of examples:
Being too sedentary.
If you’re working a desk job, your back is already against the wall. You’re basically forced to live a sedentary lifestyle for 40 to 60 hours per week. The key is to proactively fight back. One easy option is to upgrade to a standing desk. Another good tip is to exercise during your lunch break.
Drinking too much.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a few drinks every week, but don’t make it a nightly thing. For one, drinking your calories puts you behind the proverbial eight-ball. But secondly, it just slows you down and forces all of your systems to work harder.
If you can move around more, drink less, and crush other bad habits, you’ll lose weight faster and reach your goals before the wedding.
5. Manage Your Stress
There will be stress in the wedding planning process. There’s no way around it. However, you should do your best to manage stress and avoid unnecessary triggers. This will prevent you from running to unhealthy crutches.
The best way to manage stress is to start planning your wedding as soon as possible. The longer your “runway,” the more room you have for error. It’s also helpful to hire an experienced wedding planner to manage all of the micro details on your behalf.
Adding it All Up
Your wedding is one of the few days in your life that’s truly all about you. You owe it to yourself to feel confident. And if you’re like most people, some of your self-confidence comes from your body image and health. By using the next few months to get in shape, you can go into your wedding looking and feeling great!
