How to be a Thinner Bride?

Marriage is one of the most pleasant and memorable events in the life of a female. Brides, and even grooms nowadays, wants to look their best for their special day. In order to fulfill one's dream of looking good and thin on this special day, one should take into consideration certain things that not just help her look thin but makes her feel good and energetic. This also enables her to handle the stress and exertion which is quite natural.

Developing a healthy diet is not only beneficial for losing weight for your wedding day, but it is also necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Ideally, a bride should indulge in right nutrition and lifestyle around 3 - 4 months before the wedding so as to have a desired effect on the body. During this time follow the tips below to make changes in your diet and lifestyle so as to have a thinner body along with a good glow on the skin and hair.

• Include good quantity of water (about 10-12 glasses daily) and avoid diuretics like coffee and energy drinks as much as possible. Water will help your complexion and will help your metabolism work faster. If possible, aim to have atleast 5 glasses of lukewarm water along with 5-6 glasses of normal water throughout the day.

• Include a minimum of 20 minutes of aerobic activity like brisk walking, jogging and swimming every day. Doing exercise daily will get you motivated and can be a good wedding stress reliever. Also, do gentle yoga stretching to release tension and meditate for 10 minutes while doing slow and deep breathing.

• Start the day with a good breakfast as it will help jump-start your metabolism and reduce mid-morning cravings. Recent research indicates that rather than eating 3 large meals daily, our metabolism is better served by regular and small meals. Have 5-6 small meals per day with one meal every 3-4 hours. Also, always have a light and an early dinner (before 7:30 pm).

• Choose healthy foods that are comparatively less refined and less processed like brown rice and whole wheat flour without removing the bran (choker). Avoid white flour (maida) and white rice.

• Eat a variety of foods from all the food groups. Your body needs a wide range of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and other nutrients in order to function efficiently. By eating a range of food types, you can be sure that you are getting your daily-required amounts of these important nutrients.

• Eat a lot of high-fiber foods including fruits, vegetables, beans and grains. High fiber foods help you lose weight because they are not only nutritious but also very filling. Also, high fiber foods help slow the absorption of carbohydrates so that blood sugar levels are more consistent. Stable blood sugar helps to limit food cravings.

• Choose roasted, grilled or steamed preparations over deeply fried preparations. Also, avoid consuming too much processed, baked or fried foods as they are difficult to digest.

• Do not increase stimulants like tea/coffee to more than 2 cups/day and totally avoid diet soft drinks.

• Include one serving of papaya and pomegranate (anar) daily.

• Consume 4-5 overnight soaked almonds (badam) daily in the morning.

• Indulge in proper and sound sleep for at least 7-8 hrs.

• Avoid high glycemic index (GI) foods such as white bread, cornflakes, baked potatoes, watermelon, etc. Eating low-GI foods means you avoid spikes and dramatic falls in blood sugar so you get a much steadier stream of energy.

On Wedding Day

The brides should take special care of themselves on the wedding day to combat stress and exertion.

• Have proper meals on the wedding day with fruit/vegetable juices in between to keep yourself going. Avoid long gaps between the meals.
• To keep the stomach clear on the wedding day, have a glass of lukewarm milk on the previous day night.
• Avoid consumption of too much caffeine and alcohol as it can lead to facial puffiness.
• Along with caffeine and alcohol, also avoid rice, corn, junk foods, canned juices, sugar contents to overcome bloating.
• Have a good sleep before the wedding day. Lots of times, the brides are awake along with others, because of the various things happening in the house. Lack of sleep added with the stress because of the wedding, may take the glow away from your face.

Along with these, you must not forget to remain positive and cheerful and should enjoy the special day of your life so as to cherish its memories in the years to come.