How to Healthily Drop 5 Pounds Before Your Wedding

As you prepare for your wedding, there are many details that need your attention. You’ll need the perfect shoes to go with your dress and gorgeous vintage earrings that match your ring. Plus, many brides want to lose five pounds.

But rapid weight loss is tricky. Aggressive diets could leave you with low blood sugar,which can affect mood and alertness. It can also increase your likelihood of rebounding after the wedding, undoing all your hard work.

If you want to lose weight, speak with a physician about the best strategy for your body type and physical needs. With your doctor’s direction, you might try a few of the following things.

1. Give It Time

Oftentimes, weight loss is left to the last minute, but planning ahead is best. You’ll have more success and will better sustain your weight loss with adequate time.

Aim for losing between half a pound and one pound per week. So, if you want to lose five pounds, try to give yourself at least five weeks to see results. Here are some ideas of what to eat 2 weeks before your wedding.

2. Focus on Protein

Protein makes you feel full longer and maintains steadier levels of blood sugar, but most of us don’t get enough. Therefore, we end up eating lots of carbs and little protein.

Try to add more protein to your diet. Protein bars and shakes are good, but it’s best to get this nutrient from lean sources like white fish, chicken breast, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt.

Along with prioritizing protein in your meals, pair a protein snack with your sweet treat. Doing so means you’re less likely to overeat. For example, try a tall glass of milk with your cookies.

3. Track What You Eat

Apps like My Fitness Pal or Macro Counter make it easy to search or scan food items and track what you eat. That way, you can consciously stay within a targeted caloric deficit range.

Along with tracking your calories, try counting your macro nutrients. Protein, carbs, and fats are the most important nutrients to track, although fiber is also useful because it helps you prioritize fruits and vegetables. Watching these nutrients will help you fill your diet with good, filling foods that support weight loss.

Counting macros can be difficult if you don’t fully understand it. Research this method of eating carefully to learn the ins and outs of proper tracking and nutrition.

4. Shop the Outer Aisles

Fruits and vegetables are the best foods for helping you feel full while consuming fewer calories, while foods that are typically found in the inner aisles of the grocery store are highly processed and high in calories.

One study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine reported that fruits and vegetables seem to be extremely helpful in rapid weight loss based on findings from vegetarian diets.

“Vegetarian diets appeared to have significant benefits on weight reduction compared to non-vegetarian diets,” study authors wrote.

5. Try Intermittent Fasting

Up and coming research indicates that short periods of fasting on a daily or weekly basis can be effective in jump-starting your metabolism and staying within your calorie goals for the day.

Most people who choose to do intermittent fasting start with 12 hours of eating and 12 hours of fasting. For example, they eat within the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and fast during the other 12 hours. They’ll drink water throughout to stay hydrated, though. After you’ve mastered that, consider a cycle of 18 hours of fasting, but don’t exceed that on a daily basis.

Note: Intermittent fasting may need to be done under the direction of a doctor. Certain health concerns, such as hypoglycemia or diabetes, make intermittent fasting very dangerous.

6. Drink More Water

There are multiple benefits of drinking water for weight loss. It helps you feel fuller, minimizing cravings without consuming calories. “So, in addition to not adding calories, drinking water may help you replace or avoid unnecessary food calories found in snacks or extra servings at mealtime,” Donna Logan, a registered dietician at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston told Everyday Health.

It’s also the best diuretic, helping your body flush out burned fat and waste that causes inflammation in the gut. “[This] is especially important during times of fat metabolism and weight loss,” Dr. Logan says.

7. Forgo the Night Cap

There will be plenty of time to drink the night away during the wedding and after. Before that, try to limit your alcohol consumption, as it’s filled with needless calories. It’s also more likely to weaken your resolve, causing you to double up on dessert.

8. Sleep a Full 8 Hours

Many people don’t realize that sleep is essential in weight loss.

“When you get seven-and-a-half to eight hours of sleep, your body is more equipped to get rid of stress hormones, and your metabolism improves,” Jeffrey Morrison, a physician in New York told Harper’s Bazaar.

He also encourages those trying to lose weight to take a vitamin D3 supplement, which will improve sleep and boost your mood—both excellent weight loss aids.

9. Exercise 30 Minutes Daily

Weight loss is found first in nutrition, but exercise is a great bonus. Try HIIT workouts for 30 minutes a day to maximize your results. As you watch your nutrition and work out daily, your body will clearly show your hard-earned efforts.

The Bottom Line

Shedding excess pounds before your wedding is totally doable. Five pounds is a solid amount of weight to lose and it can be achieved by giving yourself some time, focusing on eating lean proteins, tracking what you eat, choosing healthier foods in general, trying intermittent fasting, sleeping more, and exercising at least 30 minutes per day. Go for it!

Did you use any of these tips to lose weight before your wedding? Let us know in the comments below…

About Shannon Clark

Shannon holds a degree in Exercise Science and is a certified personal trainer and fitness writer with over 10 years of industry experience.