Get Healthy For Your Wedding!

Alygraphs Photography

This isn’t necessarily a post on how to lose weight before your wedding. This is a holistic guide to help you take steps to feel your best on your wedding day. There’s so much more to health than just weight. Keep reading for our tips on how to get (and stay) healthy for your wedding.

Goals
First things first, you’ll want to define what getting healthy looks like for you, and set goals accordingly. Some people want to lose a certain amount of weight. Others are more concerned with getting healthy skin. Whatever it is, know your reasons for wanting to get healthy and set realistic goals for yourself, with check-in markers along the way.

Healthy Marriage
The best thing you can do for your wedding day is not losing weight but investing in having a healthy relationship with your soon-to-be spouse. I’d argue you should spend more time working on your relationship together than in the gym. Consider doing marriage counseling together with a trusted pastor or counselor. (Did you know marriage licenses cost less when you complete certified premarital counseling?)

Schedule date nights together to have fun and get to know each other better. Take time to talk about things besides the wedding day. Talk about expectations, your hopes and dreams, fears and excitements.

Water
This is one of those tips we all know, but how often do we actually follow it? Water is not only essential to living, but it can boost your metabolism and help with common problems like minor headaches and fatigue. Need some inspiration to drink more water? Find a cute bride or custom “Future Mrs.” tumbler to carry around with you.

Katelyn Allison Photography

Sleep
Another one of those tips we all know but don’t often follow. The average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep, but over ⅓ of Americans get less than the recommended amount each night. Prioritizing a good night’s sleep helps people feel less groggy throughout the day, improves mood, and tends to increase productivity and metabolism. It can also help decrease stress, and since wedding planning is considered very stressful by most brides​, getting more sleep can help brides feel better throughout the planning process.

Destress
Speaking of stress, we recommend taking time away from planning your wedding to destress. This will look different for everyone. Maybe it’s going on a walk, having a spa night-in, or grabbing coffee with a friend. Whatever helps you relax and focus your mind on things besides your wedding, set aside time each week to step away and relax.

Eat better
Most Americans can eat better. I don’t think that comes as a surprise. But this doesn’t mean you have to go on a crazy diet. You want to create healthy, sustainable habits, not get a quick fix that can actually cause more problems in the long run. And while we’re not certified nutritionists or health specialists, we do have some tips on making healthy habits.

This can be as simple as incorporating just one more serving of fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. Add a handful of spinach to your smoothie, stir in some veggies into your pasta dish, or substitute chips with an apple for a snack. Small decisions can make a big difference.

Eating healthier can also help you feel better, not just look better. Many women struggle with feeling bloated or fatigued. Consider keeping a food diary to help you look for what foods might cause bloating, and then reduce those trigger foods from your diet. If you’re constantly feeling fatigued, try adding some leafy greens or extra protein to your meals and cut back on sugary foods. You don’t just want to look your best on your wedding day – you’ll want to feel your best, too.

Workout
In addition to dieting, working out is probably the first thing brides think of when they decide they want to get healthy for their wedding. Working out is great! The problem is being consistent and not committing to too much, too fast.

If you don’t already have a workout routine in your weekly schedule, it might not be the best idea to start working out for over an hour every day. More than likely, you'll just get burnt out. Instead, commit to doing 20-30 minutes of exercise 4-5 times a week. Figure out what works best for you. If you hate running, don’t include it. There are so many other ways to exercise. You can weightlift, do HIIT workouts in your living room, or join a gym and take aerobics or circuit classes. The options are endless.

You can also be active outside of the gym. Find simple ways to get your body moving. Go on walks with friends. Hike trails near you. Pick up activities like rock climbing, or playing disc golf or pickleball. Make exercise enjoyable and a way to spend time with close friends.

We hope these tricks will encourage you to start implementing healthier habits to help you start looking and feeling better for your wedding, and hopefully beyond!

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