We strongly believe no bride should feel pressured into losing weight; however the pre-wedding period can be an excellent opportunity for kick-starting a healthier lifestyle that will help fuel you with energy and vitality for the big day.
To find out more about how you can use food and exercise to support your wellbeing in the lead-up to your wedding we asked the experts. Becci Gowers is a naturopathic nutritional practitioner and founder of IgniteYou (igniteyou.org.uk), and Becky Bennet, who won Muddy Stiletto's Fitness Instructor of 2018, is the founder of Think Fit (thinkfitcornwall.com).
So, what exactly is the link between nutrition and wellbeing? "In short, we are what we eat," says Becci, who solved her long-term health condition through nutrition. "Every cell in our body - of which there are around 37 trillion - needs nutrients to function. We live in a world of ongoing stress and pressure, foods with no nutritional value, poor sleep. All these things do not feed our cells and have a huge knock-on effect on health."
Through IgniteYou, Becci has worked with many brides-to-be and focuses on giving them the tools to feel epic without any crash diets or dodgy shakes. "A lot of brides-to-be are feeling the pressure and want to feel awesome for the big day. So I do a lot of work around foods and lifestyle that energise, as well as taking out anything that can strip the body of energy. This in turn also gives people glowing skin, energy and vitality, a clear mind and a massive sense of achievement," she says.
Instead of preaching, Becci believes in empowering women through knowledge. And it works. "It is really easy when stressed to reach for quick carbs in the form of chocolate, bread and crisps. So I educate people on how to balance blood sugars, support the adrenals - calm stress - and build up strength in the cells to stop these cravings," she says.
During her work with brides, Becci does come across women who want to lose weight, but says: "The first thing I will do is educate people on why good nutrition supports everything and not just weight loss. It is so important to me that clients don't go on faddy crash diets as this will massively impact their energy, metabolism, physical and mental health," she says.
"In the past, I have suffered from stress and bouts of depression but I noticed that when I started a fitness regime, these feelings subsided somewhat," says Becky. "I think the 'better' body image played a part in this, but the release of stress and benefit of endorphins are far better benefits in my opinion." Since launching Think Fit, she helps others to discover the many physical and mental benefits of exercise, which include "a healthy weight, stronger bones, a relaxed mind, feel-good hormones and potentially meeting lifelong friends".
She has noticed that, while people often have an initial reason for getting into fitness - perhaps a health issue, a holiday or a wedding - once they adopt a regular exercise programme, they become hooked on the benefits. "When people then stop, they feel sluggish, moody and non-productive. Exercise gives you energy and a zest for life - people love that feeling!" she says.
And more and more people are realising that working out doesn't have to be a gruelling exercise centred on weight loss. "There is so much pressure on women to do it all: careers, parenting, housekeeping. I think promoting exercise for wellbeing and not about weight loss or body image is the way forward. When people join my 12-week programme I ask them their goals, and there's been a significant increase of answers about feeling better in the mind rather than the body, and that is just brilliant," she says.
Becci started attending Think Fit following the birth of her son with the aim of feeling wonderful on her wedding day. "For the first time, I am leading a healthy lifestyle, working out regularly and eating well and I feel incredible. I've realised that exercise is so much more than just to make you look good; it helps your whole wellbeing and that's thanks to Becky and the rest of the Think Fit team. I can honestly say that exercise is now part of my life and I will certainly be carrying on after the wedding," she says.
Becky's 12-week programme, The Body Project, allows people to work out with her four times a week. It's focused on HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and most classes are at 6am, allowing people to fit them into their busy lives. "I currently have brides that attend this programme - obviously their main driving force is to feel amazing on their wedding day but I also think they benefit massively from their 'alone' time to get away from the stresses of organising their big day," she says. There is another, less obvious, perk too: meeting like-minded people. "There is a baker in our group who went on to make another member's wedding cake!"
TOP TIPS FOR FEELING TIP-TOP
1. Back to basics
"Cook from scratch, pile up the veg, little bit of fruit, go to the butchers or fishmongers for your meat and fish, shop locally so you know where your food has come from. If you are vegetarian or vegan, make sure you get the right mix of foods to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need," says Becci.
2. Plan and prep
"The most important thing is to take the time to plan and prep. Without this, you are sure to be swayed to the dark side! You deserve the time to invest in yourself, especially when you have a momentous and special day coming up," says Becci.
3. Eat your vegetables
"Max out vegetables as much as possible," says Becci. "Ensure you get a rainbow of colours in to really hit a multitude of antioxidants, which is key for glowing skin, liver support to get rid of toxins (which are stored in fat cells) and many other health protective factors. For snacks eat veggie sticks; for meals half your plate should be veggies."
4. Try time-restricted eating
"This has been shown to have huge benefits to health and can be started immediately. It basically means eating when our bodies are aligned to eat. So consume your food and drink within a 10-hour window a day (you can drink water at any time). So, if you have your first bite or drink at 8am, you need to finish eating by 6pm," explains Becci. "If this sounds too hard, then try for a 12-hour window. The benefits include weight loss, better sleep, reduction in chronic disease, increased lean muscle mass and improved microbiomes."
5. Drink water
"I know this sounds really basic, but it really is important. Drink at least two litres a day and even more in hot weather and if you are active. Of all the clients I have seen I think there has only been one who actually drank enough consistently. Water is essential for all systems in the body to work, let alone for glowing skin. So get chugging to prepare for the big day," says Becci.
6. Find something you love
"Try everything you can, and find something that you LOVE! Exercising is much more fun when you are getting fitness results from something you enjoy," says Becci. "When you enjoy what you are doing, you will also benefit from all those feel-good endorphins - win-win."
7. Give it a go
"It can be intimidating to try something new, but just go for it. Exercise and working out is always a good thing. We are a friendly, happy bunch so if you are self-conscious or worried about lack of current fitness then you needn't be," says Becky.
8. Buddy up
"It is proven that if you exercise with friends, you are more likely to stick to it. If your friends aren't keen, befriend others at class - you will quickly find your workout buddies will push you to achieve your fitness goals," says Becky.
9. Don't worry
"Many women worry they are too big, too unfit or have a lack of confidence," says Becky. "Chances are there are plenty of others who feel the same and making that first move into fitness will be just the start in to a happier, healthier you."
10. Ditch your scales
"Do not focus on the numbers beneath your feet. Focus on how you feel - do you feel fitter? Do you feel stronger? Do you feel more confident? Do you feel more energised? All of these will help you with the stresses and excitement in the lead-up to your big day," says Becky.
words Abby Driver
Copyright Wed magazine 2018
