This post was first seen on our sister site MorefromMom.com

Are you engaged to be married?

I am sure you are super excited and immersed in your wedding planning already! After all, you have a lot on your plate; the venue, the guest list, food, music, flowers and so much more. And then there’s the dress! Possibly the most important part of the entire wedding, in a bride’s eyes. You will probably spend hours looking at and trying on all different wedding dresses until you find your dream wedding dress. You know, the one you have dreamed about since you were 12 years old? 😉 I know you’ll want to look your best. 

How to lose weight before your wedding

You want to look and feel beautiful and confident as you walk down the aisle.  If you are like most brides to be, part of looking their absolute best includes losing a few pounds and looking amazing in their dream wedding dress. Now, I first want to say that you should check with your doctor before starting any new fitness program. Also, this is not something you want to do if you are getting married in 2 weeks.  The ideal time frame is 6 months of more. You want to give yourself as much time as possible so that you aren’t stressing yourself or your health in any way. You need to be strong and healthy for your wedding too!

Just like your marriage will be, fitness is forever!

You should never look for fad diets or quick fixes like pills or weight loss aids. Instead, look at your health and fitness routine the same way you look at your future marriage; it’s forever! So, start making healthy changes. They say it takes 21 days to break a habit and 21 days to create a new one. If you start months before your wedding, you have plenty of time to make changes. The bonus is that these won’t be temporary changes, these are changes you will take with you for the rest of your life and you will be healthier and happier because of them. 

Set small goals – Don’t expect to lose 75 pounds in 6 months before your wedding. Set small goals like 1 – 2 pounds a week. For now, instead of focusing on the big picture, look at the smaller pictures and set goals that will help you make progress toward your bigger picture goals. 

Eat enough food – Don’t make the mistake that so many make and starve yourself. You will not lose weight faster and you will only do harm to yourself. You need to take in enough calories each day. I recommend downloading a free app that will help you count calories. There are many to choose from, just take your pick.

Move, move, move – Get off the couch and make time to exercise at least 4 or 5 times a week. Even if you take a brisk walk for 45 minutes each day, you don’t need a gym or fancy equipment. The most important thing is that you move your body!

Change your plate – The dinner plates that come in sets sold today are huge, you are probably eating bigger portions than you should be. Switch to smaller plates to automatically eat smaller portions. 

Cut it out – Cut out junk food. Food with no nutrients and lots of fat and sugar can be your downfall. Get them out of the house to avoid temptation. When you want something sweet go for fresh fruit or homemade ice pops made with fresh fruit juice. 

Say no to cocktail time – Or at least drink less. Alcoholic beverages like cocktails can pack a couple hundred calories in a single glass! Switch to having just 1 light beer or wine spritzer instead of a few mixed drinks. 

Clean up your diet – Eat foods high in protein like chicken or salmon. Bake or steam foods instead of frying. Look for lower calorie substitutes for high calorie favorites. Try spices to boost the flavor of your food instead of high calorie sauces. Cut down on bread, rice and pasta. 

Not enough time?

If you are getting married sooner and you don’t have months to lose weight, my advice is to begin to make these changes anyway. The sooner you start making good habits the sooner you will start losing weight. Other than that, invest in a quality piece of shape wear, LOVE yourself, EMBRACE your curves and WORK that dress!

What do you have to add?

Do you have any weight loss tips for the brides to be? Please share them with me in the comments below. 

Before you go besure to follow us on pinterest, twitter, and facebook. Also subscribe to our newsletter at the top of this page! Then check out our other wedding posts. 3 winter wedding themes, how to feed 100 people on $250, and my wedding regrets.