Preparing for her wedding is probably the most stressful period in a girl’s life. It revolves all around thinking about how she can look the best on the big day. Even the joy and the excitement is laced with some anxiety about whether it will all turn out the way she has imagined always- just perfect. Especially if there are just about 2-3 weeks left for the wedding, she might panic even more, feeling helpless about how she can repair some things that she is not very happy about in her look. Plus, the few weeks before the wedding are also full of parties, celebrations, eating out and ghee-laden mithais- an invitation to weight gain and skin breakouts for many!
But don't worry! We share with you some easy pointers that will come handy, especially with very little time left in hand. Read on to explore what these are.
Aim for real, achievable goals
To begin with your fitness routine just a couple of weeks before the wedding, you must first know what you are really looking to achieve. The most important thing to remember is- have realistic and practical goals. Here are the two very basic things you should be looking at:
- Have a slimmer waistline and a toned look to flaunt your wedding outfit (as against losing 20-30 kilos in 2-3 weeks, which is almost impossible and insanely unhealthy!).
- Have a naturally glowing, flawless complexion (as against getting a skin tone that is multiple tones lighter than your natural!)
#1. Breakfast is your key
There have been several studies showing that having a healthy breakfast everyday kick-starts your metabolism. This helps burn more calories throughout the day to fuel your activities. Not just that, you tend to consume lesser calories later in the day, as it also triggers the hormone leptin, which is responsible for suppressing appetite.
Quick tip: Choose from high-fibre, high-protein options like a bowl of whole cereal with skimmed milk and a handful of dry fruits, vegetable parathas with curd, idlis with vegetable sambar, egg-white omelette with brown bread, etc. for breakfast.
#2. Eat enough
You read that right. Eating enough and on time, before you start feeling the hunger pangs, are the keys to effective weight loss, and have glowing skin. You will need all the nutrition you can to cope with the wedding planning stress. Not having enough nutrition, especially with exercise and all the running around, will lead to loss of muscle. This in turn will lead to dull, pale and not so firm skin.
Quick tip: Eating something every 2-3 hours (as against 3 large meals) to ensure a smooth running metabolic rate for effective burning of calories.
#3. Get a fruit and vegetable overload
Make sure you have lots of raw vegetables and fruits in your diet by including at least one large bowl of salad in every meal. Also, replace your desserts with fresh fruits. Fruits and vegetables are high in fibre, which aids in quick weight loss. Also, they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help remove toxins, and give a fitter body and smoother skin within days!
Quick tip: While eating out, fill your plate with salads first. Keeping munching on these throughout the meal to avoid the calorie overdose that is part of most dinner/lunch invites around the wedding.
#4. Save the salt
Salt is the main culprit when it comes to feeling bloated. You definitely do not want the blown-up, plump feel when you are dressing up on the most important day of your life! Salt is necessary for the normal functioning of the body, but excess of it makes the body retain water, leading to the early morning “fat feeling”. Try adding as little salt as possible to your food.
Quick tip: Stay away from chips, preserved foods like pickles and papads, baked foods, sauces, etc. that have extra salt used for preservation.
#5. Unfriend caffeine, alcohol, nicotine
If you really have very little time on hand, and wish to look your best on the D-day, then you must give up on these three skin culprits right away! Excessive consumption of strong tea and coffee has been shown to affect sleep patterns and impair digestion, both reflecting badly on the skin. Smoking is well-known to hasten skin ageing, apart from damaging health in general; while alcohol proves as an unnecessary calorie addition (1 ml = 7 cals!) to your overall intake, apart from giving puffy eyes.
Quick tip: Try to replace your drinks with herbal tea. The antioxidants work great for the skin! You can even sip on skimmed milk to ace weight loss.
#6. Exercises work for you!
Apart from getting you in shape, daily exercise improves blood circulation, and purifies the skin by removing toxins through sweat. It also creates the best conditions for the skin to produce more collagen, which is mainly responsible for youthful skin. What’s more? Exercising lowers levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, and increases endorphins, which are responsible for the feeling of euphoria- something that will certainly reflect in your look on the wedding day.
Quick tip: To get quick results, start exercising 4-5 days a week, for 50-60 minutes per day. Cycling, jogging, skipping, swimming, dance and aerobics, and training with light weights helps best. Yoga and stretching should be a part of your routine, no matter which exercise you choose.
#7. Shut some eye!
Getting enough sleep before the wedding goes hand-in-hand with good skin and healthy weight loss. Lack of sufficient sleep not only leads to low energy levels, but also triggers the cortisol hormone, which is responsible for making us feel hungry even when we are full! That apart, insufficient sleep results in blood-shot, puffy eyes, dark circles and pale skin.
Quick tip: Try to get undisturbed sleep for 7-8 hours every night. Also, try having a 15-20 minutes of power nap once a day to feel rejuvenated.
Follow these seven tips religiously, and get ready to be amazed, and amaze all your friends and family on your big day!
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