- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee Blog
For me, a diet was an essential part of my wedding planning. It’s not about looking like a super-skinny model; it’s about feeling good about my body again. During senior year of my undergraduate program, I gained about 15 pounds. For some people that isn’t a lot, but for me it was a more-than-10% weight gain. It has made me feel blah.
In order to lose these extra 15 pounds I am hauling around, I have to reduce my calorie intake to about 1200 per day. At home, Mr. Meerkat makes sure all our meals are lean and low cal, but lunches with my coworkers…well, that’s a different story. Can you say KFC, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s??
So over the last couple weeks, I have radically changed my eating habits. No more lunches out with the guys. No more amazing, grease-laden fast food. Instead, I have changed everything I eat from the time I get up to the time I get home for dinner. There are three things that are making this diet work for me:
Fresh fruit (breakfast and snack)
I’ve got a great topic to discuss from this month’s issue of Women’s Health magazine and the article “Prevent Love Chub!”
I know I’m not the first to admit this, but I’m saying it anyway: Before I was in a relationship, I was thinner! I looked my very best and was the smallest I had ever been when I met my future husband (FH). Yet somehow, over the last four years, I gained an upwards of 20 pounds, and I’m not even sure how. It’d be difficult to pinpoint just one reason because it could have been anything from our restaurant excursions to late-night Häagen-Dazs tastings to weekend snacking.
Wedding Dress Dreams…Every Girl Has ‘Em!
It might sound foolish, but I have this little wish. More than having beautiful decorations, good food, or rockin’ music, I want people to look at me when I step into the garden for our ceremony and think, “Wow! She’s a beautiful bride!”
There have been so many times that I didn’t feel beautiful in front of Mr. Brooch, whether it was because I was sick, had no makeup on, or whatever. We’ve all had those times we didn’t feel our best. I think women in serious relationships deal with this a lot because logistically there’s not enough time (or patience) to put yourself together to perfection when you live with someone and see them every day (at least not for me). Nevertheless, Mr. Brooch has always told me I am beautiful. He loves me more without makeup and in sweats than when I’m dolled up in jeans and heels. Of course, this means a lot to me, and it’s one (of the many) reasons I love him.
Ooh, Ahhh…
With that said, I want others to see me they way he does, especially on our wedding day. There will be people there that we don’t see very often and that we haven’t seen in years. My wish is that they’ll walk away thinking, “Wow, that’s a beautiful couple!” I’m not really worried about what my family will think of Mr. Brooch because I am convinced they will adore him (and plus, he always looks good, haha). But I am more concerned with the impression I give his family and friends. I want them to see something beautiful in me.
Of course, every bride wants this! Every bride wants to look her best and feel amazing on her wedding day, duh! Especially during that moment when all eyes are on her. Therefore, I know I am in good company. I know there are experts out there, wonderful bridesmaids, and other bride-entourage members (like the hair and makeup team) that will work to make this happen.
Read more…
Ladies and gentlemen, a momentous occasion! I was in a bikini recently; I haven’t been in a bikini since high school. No more hiding behind big t-shirts, muumuus, and one pieces at the beach anymore.
Featured on Weddingbee
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
“Make an elegant invitation statement without the fuss. Stylish invitation sets with matching envelopes, reception and response cards included.”
To lose the last few pounds, I’m starting the kanten diet.
(source)
The kanten diet swept the nation after being featured on a popular TV show in 2005 and is now a well-known dieting method in Japan. So, “Wtf is kanten?” you ask.
Last week I told you all about my plan to get into great shape for the wedding by doing a lot more yoga. This week, it’s all about greens.
Mmm… kale.
While I’m a pretty healthy eater in general, I definitely do not eat an optimal amount of greens (kale, spinach, collard greens…etc). My idea of optimal is probably about 50% of what I consume, and I don’t come ANYWHERE near that.
Read more…
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
A Coca-Cola addict! I’ve been chugging this stuff since pre-k, and it’s only gotten worse with age. I’m talking a four-a-day habit, guys. I’m a hardcore user. One thing that really burns my biscuits about the wedding machine is how they almost force brides to try to be their thinnest on their wedding day. Now, I have no problems with presenting a healthy, beautiful you, but since when do we have to hit the gym five days a week for just one day? I don’t think it’s fair, and though I thoroughly applaud those of you who have the discipline and commitment to achieve those goals, I’m 100% fine with the way I look. It’s the exact same way I looked when Mr. SD proposed, and that’s who he’ll see walking down the aisle.
OK. It is time to speak the truth. I don’t care who you are, but SOME part of your overall wedding day happiness will involve your appearance. Whether you are hitting the salon for a fancy updo and makeup or doing it yourself, every bride wants to feel beautiful on her wedding day. I know that this is true for me. And… part of this wedding day beauty for me involves not only my face and hair, but how my body looks as well. I know, I sound like a broken record of pretty much any bride out there, but I want to look HOT! So sue me. No wait… don’t sue me—that is the opposite of the point I’m trying to make (The Office, anyone?)!
Annnnyway… when I started thinking about how to achieve the physique I desire for my wedding day, inevitably one thing had to come into play: what I eat.
Ugh. How I wish that candy and french fries were considered “healthy” foods.
Now, I don’t necessarily consider my eating plan a diet… I see it more as a series of healthy substitutions. I don’t particularly like to decrease the amount of food that I eat, because that is no fun, and I LOVE food. Plus, starving yourself is just not healthy! However, if I make smart choices most of the time, it makes me feel good, I look good, and I am still able to partake in some delicious treats now and then.
So… what do I eat? Come on along and I’ll show you…
One day, not too long ago, I was over at a friend’s house for a birthday party. It was a potluck and when my friends and I have potlucks, the food is always good. Not those crappy potlucks where people bring lame dishes in hopes that someone else brings something good. Nope. At our parties, everyone brings good food.
Well, I was going for my third Porto’s cheese roll when I said, “I probably shouldn’t eat this. There’s this white dress I need to make sure I can fit into in a couple months.”
A friend who is also getting married in June said, “Are you on the LGN diet too?”
“Huh? What’s that?” I said.
He laughed and walked away.
I thought and I thought and couldn’t figure it out so I asked one of our other friends if he knew what it was.
He, too, laughed at me and said, “the Look Good Naked Diet.”
“Ohhh. (pause) OHHHHH.” It took me a second.
So, I’ve never been really good at dieting.
Read more…
At the end of last year, I wrote about my nutrition overhaul - well, I’m back for the update! For the past 2 months, I’ve been eating (relatively) healthier and regularly seeing a nutritionist. And here are the results!
My results aren’t majorly dramatic - but that was my danger. I don’t have a lot of weight to lose, so I usually hide behind my soft and squishy figure. But thanks to healthier eating habits, portion control, and semi-sporadic working out, I’m 5 lbs lighter and much firmer. I see the most dramatic results in my arms - my usual “problem spot”. Yay!
Here’s what I did for the past 2 months:
Read more…
So, I’ve been good about keeping up with my JM workouts, but like many other brides, I’m always looking for anything else that will help me lose weight and look my best on my wedding day. It’s even better if this magic thing that helps me lose weight does not require a lot of effort or changes to my routine because, well, I’m lazy and like my routine. Recently, I learned about Yerba Mate tea.
The tea is fair trade and contains 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, lots of antioxidants and naturally occurring caffeine. Their website says that the tea:
It’s officially March, and we all know what that means—check in time! We’ve now got exactly 7 months until the wedding, and let me just say, this month was pretty much a fail month. That’s right, I’ve been one slackin’ ass bee.
I’m a bit disappointed in myself that I slacked off so badly this month, but—although I don’t like to make excuses—it has been an exceptionally difficult month for Mr. Rainbow and me. Let me explain.
In the past, I’ve never had issues with my weight. It always stayed pretty much the same, and if I wanted to lose a few pounds, it was never too difficult for me. But a little while ago, I started gaining weight, quickly and seemingly uncontrollably, and the worst part was that no matter what I did, it just wouldn’t come off. I know my body, and I know how it works, so I had a funny feeling that there was something medically wrong with me, but no one would believe me, and I had no health insurance to get my suspicions confirmed.
That was until this month.
In my last post, I mentioned the extreme methods I went to in order to lose my “college 20″. With 6 months to go until the wedding, I am happy to say that no such methods will be required this time around. I am at a healthy weight, and am fairly happy with the way I look. Like most girls, I am continuously looking to lose that last 5 pounds, but I don’t think that this should be a problem considering the amount of time I have left.
The MediFast plan was extreme, but it did teach me a practical lesson about loosing weight. Many people swear that the only true and honest way to lose weight is by counting calories. While I tend to agree with this method, I found that it did not work for me. I just had a hard time figuring out how many calories were packed into the food that I was eating. I tried using some of the many calorie counters that can be found on the web, but the truth is that most of the Polish-centric food that I eat on a day to day basis is just not listed.
Read more…
In keeping with my little fitness/wellness theme this week (remember my 2-a-day crazy workout post?), I thought I’d give you peek into what I’ve been eatin’ over the last year or two.
I’ve managed to lose 30 pounds, something I’m quite proud of. But in addition to having started a challenging workout routine, part of my success has been due to running far, far away from the foods I love - mac ’n’ cheese, SpaghettiOs (yes, I still love these and yes, I realize I’m not an 8-year-old), frozen dinners, lots of pasta…. the list could go on. I’ve also learned to stop skipping breakfast and to always bring my lunch with me to work. I’m often the girl sitting and eating carrots and yogurt at a restaurant while my co-workers grab yummier stuff, and I’m okay with that.
I always start my day with a high protein, high fiber cereal, usually by Kashi (I love the Kashi Go Lean and the Kashi Heart to Heart). I recently switched to skim milk and have never noticed a difference between that and the 2% I used to buy.
(Please excuse the old picture, but it’s me eating cereal, nonetheless).
Official disclaimer: I’m no doctor, nutritionist, or personal trainer. Just a regular bride-to-BEE wanting to look smokin’ hot for her wedding day. 
So what I’m basically trying to say is you should consult your physician before starting any diet or exercise program. I’m just sharing what’s worked for me because it would be selfish not to. It is certainly not to be taken too literally, as my goals are a lot different from the average person. Anal leakage may occur. Okay, I’m joking about that last part.
Don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed after reading this post. It’s normal. Getting in shape is like the training portion of a new job. It just takes some time to get used to it and figure out how to do everything right, but after a while, it’s all second nature! And like any job that’s worth doing, it’s going to be hard and push you to fulfill all of your potential.
First things first: nutrition! In my personal experience, I’ve found that about 90% of my fitness success comes from my diet. Oh yeah, I should clarify the use of “diet” here. My idea of “diets” is someone’s daily eating habits, not the newest fad the celebrities are following.
Read more…
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
