Bridal Fitness

The Wedding Dress Diet

I didn’t want to be one of those brides who loses weight for her wedding dress. My feelings are, he proposed to me when I was chubby, he can marry me while I’m chubby.

But now I’m thinking of the photos.

H2b says he loves me just the way I am, that I’m beautiful and all that blar blar blar. But he is helping me to lose weight.

I’m never going to suggest that the way I’m losing weight is healthy or the best way to lose weight, but what I’ve been doing so far seems to have worked for me.

These are passport photos taken 8 months apart. While obviously you can’t smile in a passport photo, and in one I’m wearing make up and in the other I’m not, it’s still clear to see I’ve lost a bit of weight.

And here’s how I did it!

More Exercise

I wish I could tell you it was a complicated combination of chocolate and cake or a magic watching TV diet, the plain and simple fact is I’ve been doing more exercise.

Walking

I don’t live very far from my day job so I’ve been walking to work. It’s a 7.2 mile round trip.

In the winter it’s a fairly cold walk so I need to wrap up warm. That also has the benefit of once I’ve started walking I start to get a bit sweaty. I know I look silly in all that get up.

My little brother (the physicist) and I worked out how many calories I burn during my walk to work:

It takes me 45 minutes to walk 3.2 miles. I currently weigh 74kg and I carry roughly 4kgs on my back with all my books and a change of clothes. Walking to and from work, up hill, burns roughly 800 calories.

I try to walk at least once a week, and I’m aiming for 3 times a week minimum.

Dancing

I love dancing! But I’m not very good at it. To keep my embarrassment confined to the safety of our home, I’m playing Dance Central on Kinex.

Be warned, there is nothing pretty in this picture!

I’m not sure how much benefit I’m getting from the dancing, but it gets my heart rate up.

Healthy Eating

I’m eating mainly what I normally eat, but cutting down on chips, pizza and crisps. I’m not that bothered about chocolate or cake, I’ve not really got a sweet tooth, but I do love eating crisps!

I’m trying not to think of any food as ‘treat’ food as that makes me want to eat it even more than if I just didn’t buy it. Instead, I’m deciding when and where I want to eat different types of food.

I don’t walk down the candy and biscuit aisles at the supermarket to resist buying food I don’t need. It saves money too!

I’m having cereal for breakfast and lunch, and a healthy evening meal. I’m having a lot more salad than I normally do but trying to keep my diet varied, having fruit with my lunch time cereal.

What’s Best for You

I don’t know if this is a healthy way to lose weight but I have had results. I think if you do want to lose weight you should find the best method that suits you.

I’m aiming to lose another half a stone and to tone up my arms with dancing.