Divorce Yourself from the "Bride Diet"

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

With my newly engaged status, I've been the target of a great deal of wedding marketing and advertising. One common theme that I've found not only in ads, but also in wedding magazines and blogs is the widespread acceptance and promotion of bride dieting and weightloss. Even MyRecipes.com, one of my favorite recipe sources, featured a recent posting on their blog titled "Eat Like a Bride". 

While this post was more positive and a bit more healthy than some of the other suggestions I found, I'm still disturbed by the implication that women should lose weight before their wedding. Obviously your significant other is in love with who you are just the way you are (if not, you may want to reconsider this whole marriage thing), so why would you feel compelled to change yourself for him or her? And don't you have enough to focus your time and energy on before the wedding without worrying about losing weight?

Instead of putting pressure on yourself to lose weight, why don't you and your betrothed make a pledge to be healthy together as long as you both shall live? Encourage each other to take on more healthy habits and lifestyles because you love each other and want to grow old together. 

What more appropriate time is there to make a commitment to be more heart healthy? 

• Start by cutting bad fats and empty calories out of your diet and opt for heavy fruit and veggie-heavy diet (five to nine servings per day). Also be sure to eat high-fiber foods, whole grains, lean meats, nuts,  poultry and fish. Just because you're modifying your diet doesn't mean you have to lose out on flavor and favorites. Check out my earlier "Go French" for the New Year post to see how. 

• Why not take the opportunity to cook some heart-healthy dishes with your sweetie?  Check out the American Heart Association's Delicious Decisions online database of mouthwatering recipes including Greek-Style Chicken with Lemon-Pistachio Rice and Peachy Stuffed French Toast. 

• Find a fitness activity you and your squeeze enjoy doing together and make a weekly plan.  Try your hand at tennis, racquetball, biking, running or any other sport that you both enjoy (and no, channel surfing doesn't count). 

• Find a local gym that has perks for you both so that he can hit the weights while you participate in a group fitness class.  

• If you are going to lose weight for your wedding, lose it the healthy way, which means slowly. Don't lose more than 10 pounds per month. Be sure to leave plenty of time to have your dress altered appropriately so that it fits you correctly when the big day comes!

A more fun and practical way to feel confident and beautiful on your wedding day is to simply find a dress that flatters your figure. Check out the knot's dress shopping guide to find out what your body type is and to see pictures of gowns that best fit your build. 

Just remember, there's no need to go to bridal boot camp to look and feel good for your wedding day!