Right, hold your horses. I’m clearly not doing this just yet. At almost 6 months pregnant I am just about doing the opposite of what I’m about to write about. I’m eating plenty (sadly some of the stuff I’m eating plenty of isn’t that good for me but pregnancy is the one time I fully allow myself what I want so meh).
This is a guide for those other brides who are hoping to lose a little weight and to tone up before their wedding. I know this is a guide I will be thankful for when the baby is here in my arms and I’m suddenly panicking with less than a year to go before the big day and a mum tum that’s still roughly the size of a small child.
Before I have people getting offended because you should not feel the need to change how you look for your wedding. Of course you don’t have to. But it’s enviable that some people will see this as a catalyst and that the desire to lose a few pounds they’ve been harbouring for awhile now has a deadline.
So, without further ado, here is what I have used before to lose weight following having my previous two children. It is something I will be using again when this baby has arrived. At the end I also include a few tips on exercise to go alongside the healthy eating to ensure you tone up as well as drop the weight. You can thank me in pizza (I’m not starting the plan just yet!)
General healthy eating tips:
1. Portion size is important – use a smaller plate for your meals
2. Drink a glass of water before eating anything
3. Allow yourself 1 or 2 treat days a week when you can eat anything you’ve been craving throughout the rest of that week (this stops you from cheating all throughout the week and gives you something to keep you going)
4. Never deprive yourself of eating if you feel faint or are unwell. You can get back on the plan when you’re feeling better
5. This is a longer term plan so don’t expect to see huge results quickly or to only stay on the plan briefly. This is about forming healthy eating habits
6. You don’t have to buy a lot of afancy ingredients or like abstract foods for this. I’m a pretty simple creature as you’ll see in the below typical menu
Typical day’s food:
Breakfast: Bowl of cornflakes or two slices of wholemeal toast with a scrambled egg
Morning snack: Apple or pear
Lunch: bowl of chopped up fruit and vegetables with a yoghurt or jacket potato with chicken and/or baked beans
Afternoon snack: 2 cream crackers with a small amount of mature cheddar cheese or a handful of grapes
Dinner: chicken or fish with steamed or Mediterranean vegetables or homemade curry (no rice)
Dessert: one square of dark chocolate or a scoop of frozen yoghurt or fruit sorbet
Drinks: water, water, water. Hold the tea/coffee/soft drinks. Flavour your water with fruit if required. I like to start the day with water and a slice of lemon and finish off with a slice of lime in the evening
Exercise tips:
-walk wherever and whenever possible (if, like I will, you have a baby, bring them along in the pram. If you have a dog, utilise your walks)
-Fit in at least one aerobic exercise session per week. I went to a class formulated for mums, which meant women only and people in a similar situation so I was less self consious
-swimming is great for toning up
-a Pilates class is a great option for those who don’t like anything too aggressive. It helps toning as well
-climb stairs/hills where possible
Lastly, don’t become demotivated if the weight doesn’t fall off of you. Slow and steady wins the race. You should aim for between 1-2 pounds a week. Remember that if you exercise, muscle weighs more than fat, so don’t only base your results on your weight and take measurements weekly as well to see how well you’re doing!
My results:
From this – 40 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child-
Post birth
To this:
Showing off my mum tum during race for life (5 months post baby)
And finally to this: