Weddingbee Blog

There is so much advice out there about planning a wedding. Checklists, planning websites, binders, TV shows…And so many magazines and blogs put pressure on women to be perfect blushing brides. Many girls I know have successfully lost weight before their weddings. I’ve even seen a couple Groupons for “bridal bootcamp.” But what about after the wedding? All of a sudden, there’s no pressure to fit into a little white dress, to have dazzling white teeth for photos or to stop biting your nails.

So here’s my deep, dark, reluctant confession: since our wedding, I’ve kind of let myself go. I used to go to a boot camp with a couple friends three times a week, I went for jogs periodically with Mr. W, I stayed active in whatever way I could. I stayed fit. I didn’t lose much weight before our wedding (except for eight pounds I lost the week of the wedding from stress…and subsequently gained back on our honeymoon and over the holidays ). But I stayed really healthy, because I did care about looking good. Call me superficial, but I wanted to look good for the relatives I haven’t seen in 10 years, and for Mr. W’s family members who I’ve never met before. I wanted to look hawt in all of our wedding photos, and feel great on our big day.

Yet ever since we got back from Australia, I haven’t summoned the motivation to work out. Since my old apartment had a small fitness room, I did join a gym when I moved in with Mr. W the week of the wedding. But I’ve only been there twice. Twice in two months. When Mr. W heads out for a game of basketball at the gym, I always have an excuse. Thank you cards. Skype catch-up sessions with my BFFs from Seattle. Housework. Blogging for Weddingbee .

And my eating habits have changed too. Even though I saw Mr. W pretty much every single day, I would first go home to my apartment every day to change and unwind for a bit. I would occasionally snack on some fat-free popcorn or eat a bowl of cereal if I was starving after work, but I didn’t snack that much. Mr. W, on the other hand, is a chronic snacker. As soon as he gets home from work, he has a bag of chips in his hand. He plays a ton of basketball, his job is fairly active, and his 6’2″ frame can handle it. But now that we’re roomies, it’s been a novelty coming home to him. After a long day at work, I love to cozy up with him on the couch while eating a snack and watching reruns of Friends and Modern Family. I love that time of the day. But I’m suddenly evolving into a couch potato for the first time in my life, and honestly, I’m not that happy with my body. I also feel lower on energy—probably from eating snacks, and from not getting the endorphin release of a good workout.

Also, can I make one more confession? I haven’t shaved my legs in almost two weeks. WTH? It is winter, to be fair, but when I noticed how much I desperately need to shave yesterday, I think I hit rock bottom. My sweet hubby hasn’t commented on it, but I think it’s a personal record for longest time without shaving, other than the time I broke my leg my freshman year of high school and it was in a cast.

I’m about to get back on track. I’m renewing my boot camp membership, and I’m going to be out there tomorrow night rain or shine. I already know that it’s going to hurt but that’s OK. Because hive, I desperately want to be that hot MILF. (Well, there are no Walla-babies on the horizon for a few years, so for now I’ll settle to be a WILF.) I want to develop healthy eating habits now rather than later when my metabolism slows down. I want to be a fit, healthy mom who runs and keeps up with her kids. (My doctor and his wife run marathons with their seven kids. It’s crazy. They should probably be on a sitcom or reality TV show.) I don’t want to develop the heart problems and diabetes that run in my family. I want to be like our sweet family friend who’s in her late 80s and still rides a bicycle everywhere.

Mr. W and I are riding in the MS150 bike ride from Houston to Austin for the third time this year, so all of the spin classes and bike rides will hopefully revive my quads and hamstrings. And we’re going to start training for a marathon—I’ve found that I’m most motivated if I have a goal (like a wedding…) in mind. I think a little shopping trip to Lululemon this weekend might be the icing on the cake to get back into my workout routine. (Ooops. Shouldn’t be talking about cakes. Now I’m hungry.)

Sorry. I’ll get back to my recaps. But I just needed a little positive encouragement to get my ass in shape.

Did you find yourself letting yourself go after your wedding? Anyone have advice for avoiding the Newlywed Nine?