Remember when you were a little girl and you would dream about your wedding day?
Your dress would shimmer in the sun and be as poofy as a white cloud. Your dashing husband would be smiling at you at the end of the aisle. And, of course, all your favorite stuffed animals would be in attendance.
Now, the day you’ve been dreaming of is finally becoming reality. But wait a second, it’s not nearly as picture perfect and carefree as you imagined!
Wedding season is upon us, which means thousands of women across the nation are drowning under the stress of guest lists, cake options, wedding venues, flower arrangements, and the pressure to stay in shape to fit into that fairy tale wedding dress.
We’re here to help relieve some of that wedding madness! We’re going to give you some tips on how to keep up with your healthy lifestyle amidst your busy schedule.
Maintain A Healthy Diet
This probably sounds a bit self-explanatory, but it holds a lot of truth! It’s important to make sure you’re incorporating things like proteins, grains, fruits, and vegetables in your everyday diet.
You may discover that when you’re extremely stressed, you tend to turn to fatty, high sugar foods and binge on them. There’s actually a scientific explanation for this to help make things a little more clear.
When the stress hormone, cortisol, is working on overdrive, your fight-or-flight response kicks in.
Your body thinks the stress you are experiencing is using up calories in order to cope with the stress, thus making your hunger levels rise. Cortisol also raises your insulin levels and lowers your blood sugar, causing you to reach for the salty potato chips over the carrot sticks.
This is where your will power needs to kick in! Keep your fridge and cupboards stocked with healthy foods to decrease temptation. If you’re craving something sweet, go for some dark chocolate or fruit. If you’re craving something salty, try some mixed nuts or baking some kale chips.
But don’t beat yourself up if you give in and eat a cupcake. Just brush it off and promise yourself to get back on the wagon!
Exercise in the Morning
Chances are if you’re running around planning a wedding, you’re already up pretty early. We propose to wake up at least 30 minutes earlier than your normal time to make room for a workout.
The earlier you wake up, the earlier you can start your day and check more things off of your to-do list.
This is where Fit Body Boot Camp can really come to your rescue! Our 30 minute workouts are convenient for busy schedules, and give you a high intensity workout that will keep you feeling energized the whole day.
We also specialize in the Afterburn effect – which keeps your body burning more calories hours after you’ve completed your workout! So it’s like you’re getting twice the workout benefits in a single, half hour session.
Or let’s say you’re not much of a morning person, no big! Move your workout to the end of the day. Again, FBBC sessions are only 30 minutes – so you can squeeze your workout in and still have plenty of time to cook dinner, turn on your favorite show, or relax with family and friends.
However, you may feel burnt out once evening rolls around and have the urge to just knock out right when you sit down. So if possible, try to be an early riser to avoid the evening slump!
By starting your day with a great workout, you can face your stress head on with a sense of empowerment! Remember, the attitude you start the day with can set the tone for how you handle the various obstacles thrown your way.
Remember to Catch Those “Z’s”
Sleep plays an important role in keeping the body’s functions up and running, but lack of sleep can lead to health problems – in particular, weight gain problems.
Studies have proven that lack of sleep causes you to eat more and gain weight due to the brain’s response to junk food.
Recent research has shown that a sleep deprived brain responds strongly to fatty foods, but had less impulse control in the frontal cortex where rational decisions are made.
So basically, lack of sleep leads to poor eating habits.
We understand that you’re most likely not getting the sleep you need when you have a million and one things to keep track of. But before you hit to bed at 2 a.m, here’s 5 ways more sleep will help control your weight:
- Sleeping burns more calories – between 50 to100 per hour!
- Cancels out midnight snacking – if you’re sleeping, you can’t be eating!
- Reduces cravings for unhealthy foods
- Helps you make healthier food choices while grocery shopping – exhausted people tend to shop for unhealthy food
- Keeps stress levels down, therefore keeping the hormone cortisol down
Drink Water
Again, pretty self-explanatory, but often overlooked!
When you’re on a busy schedule, you’re probably forgetting to drink enough water throughout the day (or you swap the water for coffee runs).
On its own, water has many health benefits including keeping your body hydrated and improving your skin complexion and immune system.
And when it comes to weight loss, water is one of the key players.
Drinking water throughout the day actually helps you feel full longer, which decreases cravings and hunger pangs. Water also boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat faster.
It’s recommended that before dinner, you drink a 16 ounce glass of water to control your portions and prevent overeating.
Another benefit of drinking more water is it improves your brain functions and mood. If you’re letting yourself get dehydrated, you begin to feel sluggish and have trouble concentrating on important tasks. Considering our brains are made up of mostly water, it’s important to keep replenishing it to maintain its function.
These are only some of the many ways you can incorporate health into your hectic wedding schedule. Trying to balance stress and a healthy lifestyle can be hard to manage, we’ll admit that, but it is manageable – and you don’t have to do it alone! Visit your local Fit Body Boot Camp and let us help you get in shape for your big day! We’ll provide the training and motivational support you need to keep you feeling confident!
