Bride, Body and Soul

As we all know, today’s bride is a busy lady. She is working, involving herself in social activities, maintaining a household, and is, on top of everything else, planning a wedding. That being said, I would like to take a second and discuss the health and well being of the modern bride.....

If you are anything like me, the minute you said, "Yes! Of course I'll marry you!" you immediately began thinking about having the "perfect wedding body." I did and I immediately began a new health regimen. From head to toe I decided to transform my body into the magazine bride I always wanted to be. I began restricting my food intake, working out like a mad woman, and taking dietary supplements. Four months went by and I didn't feel any better and I hadn't really gotten any thinner. Then it hit me, what does "having the perfect wedding body" mean to me? What was I actually willing to do in order to get it?

I needed to rearrange my thinking. I watch my portion size, count calories and work out five to six times a week. However, I consulted a doctor before doing any of it. This is important, girls. If you want to drastically alter your behavior, please consult a doctor. I learned that if I was going to be working out as much as I wanted, I would actually have to increase my caloric intake. At first I was skeptical. I was taught that if your body feels like its being starved, it will slow down your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight. In addition, I should alternate workouts to give my body time to recuperate and gain the benefit of all the exercise. Try things like yoga (my new favorite thing), pilates, zoomba, and water aerobics to maximize calorie burn while keeping your exercise regimen exciting.

For awhile, the only thing I could think about was how I was going to look in my wedding dress. I was making myself feel inadequate, unattractive, and insecure. I was beginning to get lost in the idea of "perfection". This was sucking all of the fun and joy out of planning for the wedding, not to mention the toll it was taking on the other aspects of my life. I began to look for ways to improve my attitude and mental state. I have tried to take more of an interest in myself, to make myself and my feelings more important than my insecurities. We should, all of us, try to be the healthiest versions of ourselves, but sadly, physical health means nothing if we neglect our souls.

Now, my tip for the day:

Try something new today to boost your self esteem and your metabolism. Take a class at your gym (something with a fun title like Yoga Booty Ballet, Cardio Funk or Pi-yo). Or, if you are channeling your inner recessionista, put on your favorite CD (or one that gets you moving) and dance! After one half hour of booty-shaking, you'll be surprised at how much better you feel. Swivel those hips and you'll feel the stress just melt away. Enjoy!