Wedding time means looking your best as well as feeling on top of the world. She is a showstopper that evening! But in reality, how does one achieve all this when you are perpetually running across the place for fittings, tastings, events, dinners and so much more?
If you’re thinking this post is about a particular type of diet, or that we’re going to ask you to count calories, it’s not. These are basic pre-wedding diet tips for Indian brides and grooms to feel healthy, energetic and fit.
The planning and the wedding blues!
While this is the happiest phase of your life, planning for the wedding takes a toll on the family members and the bride-to-be.
Let’s not deny it! Planning a wedding of your dreams is hard work, and the months before the big day may pose a whirlpool of tasks like shopping, salon visits, family get-togethers, preparations, dress and dance rehearsals, invitations, and the list goes on.
Amidst all this, healthy eating takes a back seat with all the visitors at home and such action-packed days. It is best for the bride-to-be to maintain an easy, simple, and sustainable diet plan during all the chaotic and hectic days.
Crash- diet? A big NO!
Many brides-to-be go on a crash diet for quick results to fit perfectly in their wedding ensemble. A pre-wedding diet is not a crash diet. This is not healthy, and you are prone to regain the lost weight in no time. Also, the motivation behind this should be to maintain a healthy lifestyle as you enter the most beautiful and exciting phase of being a woman.
The seven non-negotiable tips for a bride-to-be:
- Finish your dinner every day before 7.30 pm.
- Exercise every day for at least 45 minutes. Include a 30-minute brisk walk in your daily schedule.
- Mini-meal policy—Eat small meals every 3 hours.
- You are allowed cheat meals, now and then, till the third month, but NO cheat meals one month before the wedding day.
- Keep a target of 8-10 glasses of water every day.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Stay happy!
Here are a few suggestions for an easy to maintain pre-wedding diet:
1 Stay Hydrated—‘Hydration Hydration Hydration’
We all know the simple mantra. Drink at least two to three liters of water every day. It is best to carry a sipper or a water bottle and keep it handy at all times. Why not add the label ‘Bride-to-be’ on your water bottle for that extra motivation!
You can also drink lemon water without sugar, coconut water, fruits with more water content, and vegetable juice to keep your body hydrated at all times.
The good thing about keeping your body hydrated is it helps to flush out all the toxins from the body, which gives you flawless skin, beautiful nails, and shiny hair and also helps in losing weight.
2 A full colorful plate of nutrition
One should not avoid carbs. Avoid simple carbs and include complex carbs in your diet like whole grain wheat, ragi, oats, brown bread, brown pasta, etc. Add salads, protein, and green vegetables to your plate. Include lentils like kidney beans, chickpeas, kala chana, etc. Lentils are an excellent source of protein and also have a lot of minerals.
3 Avoid ‘Whites’
Avoid white flour or maida, white sugar, white rice, etc.
4 Include healthy fats
Include healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and seeds in your diet. These nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds have Omega 3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are considered the right kind of fats to improve skin and hair health.
5 Don’t forget your greens
Eat leafy green vegetables packed with antioxidants as a part of your meal.
6 The raw angle
Include raw vegetables like carrot, cucumber, and tomato in the form of salad. You can eat a salad with your meals or eat them separately. These vegetables are loaded with antioxidants to fight against free radical damage.
7 Fruits for glowing bridal skin
Having a fruit, first thing in the morning (within 5-10 minutes of waking up), does wonder! One should eat fruits in-between meals.
The five foods to eat before your wedding for glowing skin:
- Beetroots– The anti-inflammatory properties, vitamins, and minerals in beetroot prevent acne and make your skin glow. A tall glass of beetroot juice every other day is sure to get your body rid of toxins and purify the blood.
- Pomegranates– Gives you supple and baby soft skin.
- Almonds– This tiny nut is packed with Vitamin E and keeps your skin youthful.
- Tomato– The antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes prevents the skin’s aging and gives it a natural glow. The acidic nature of tomatoes also helps in keeping dark spots, pimples, and acne at bay.
- Strawberries– Improves skin complexion, and reduces skin wrinkles and fine lines.
8 Eating out and the bachelorette party
Following a pre-wedding diet should not stop you from having fun. Enjoy these ‘single girl status’ carefree days. Be it your bachelorette party to honor your singlehood or hanging out with your friends at your favorite restaurant; you can always keep a watch on your diet.
Plan a healthy menu, and lest you forget, a healthy menu need not be boring. You and your friends can pre-plan healthy meals and snacks and dance the night away. Opt for healthy eating options at the restaurant; for example, an alternative to pizza could be a whole wheat base or choose wholewheat pita bread with hummus.
9 What should you avoid?
- Stay away fromsweetened and processed food
- Avoid trans fats like cakes, pastries, biscuits, and canned juice
- Avoid alcohol—It affects your skin and also hinders weight loss
A few of these habits won’t be easy to keep. You are not used to it and your body, or more accurately, your taste buds, will beg for you to go back to your old ways. But just push yourself for a few extra days after you want to give up. It takes a little while to create a habit, a little patience, and if you ride it out you’ll see a big change in your health and body. Your immunity will shoot up, you will feel a surge of energy each day, and very soon you won’t have those cravings anymore.
Will-power is easy when it comes to food matters – just think long-term and you’ll see the benefits. Especially when you’re the bride, imagine yourself at the mandap and how you want to look on the most special day of your life. That should be motivation enough!
