After you get engaged and you begin planning your wedding, you may or may not begin to focus on your health in relation to your big day. While some brides and grooms are looking to shed some weight in preparation to walk down the aisle and others are simply looking to maintain their sanity during the stress of wedding planning, everyone wants to stay healthy during this special time of their life. Thankfully, there are a range of measures you can take along the way to your wedding day to stay healthy and happy.
12 Months Before the Big Day
When you’re a year or more out from your wedding, it may still seem pretty far away—but you’ll want to work on staying healthy during this somewhat hectic time nonetheless. There are some small yet impactful things you can do for your health at this point.
Set Goals
With your wedding on the horizon, 12 months out is the perfect time to set goals in relation to your health and fitness. Looking to lose weight for the big day? Interested in toning muscles? Hoping to curb anxiety? Wishing for longer, shinier hair or stronger nails? This is a great time to think about how you want to improve your health and how you can change your habits to make this happen. A wedding is an exciting time—and it can also be a highly motivating time when it comes to improving health and wellness, so why not take advantage of that?
Learn to Meditate
It’s no secret that wedding planning can be quite stressful, but that doesn’t mean it has to get the better of you. Get ahead of the emotions and anxiety that frequently plagues the process by taking up meditation. The benefits of meditation are undeniable. First of all, it’s proven to relieve symptoms of insomnia in 75 percent of cases with normal practice—so say goodbye to sleepless nights worrying about wedding details! Additionally, 60 percent of those who practice meditation report that it helps their general well-being. This practice is surely worthwhile, both during wedding planning and after the big day has passed. This is something that you can do as much or as little as you like, and it’s easy and affordable to do. Either use an app or take advantage of YouTube tutorials to learn how.
Six Months Before the Big Day
Once you hit the six month mark, you’ll begin to feel like your wedding is approaching quickly! With that being said, this presents a good time to take a few more measures to ramp up your health and fitness efforts.
Set a Workout Routine
If you haven’t already, make working out a priority. Commit to going a few times a week and find focus areas. Maybe you want to really hit hard with the cardio to lose weight or perhaps you need more weight training to hone in on muscles that need toning. Try different classes to keep your gym routine exciting—or even try working out as a couple to have a built-in accountability partner.
Visit an Esthetician for Facials
About six months before your wedding is a good time to visit your dermatologist or a trusted spa to start receiving regular facials. These will keep your skin healthy, hydrated, and clear until the big day.
Three Months Before the Wedding
Three months before the big day is really the home stretch! This is definitely the time to focus on routines as you get closer and closer to walking down the aisle.
Take Your Vitamins
Now is a good time to refine your vitamin intake to ensure you’re getting all that you need in order to stay healthy and happy leading up to your wedding day. Take vitamins for your hair and nails, and those that support general health and immunity. With your wedding on the horizon, there’s no time to feel under the weather!
Start a Teeth Whitening Routine
If you feel so inclined, start a home teeth whitening routine at this point leading up to your wedding day. You’ll surely want your pearly whites to glisten on the big day and in all of your photos.
One Month Before Your Wedding
The last month of your wedding planning process is sure to be a blur! Despite how busy it is, pay attention to your health and wellness over this last month.
Increase Your Water Intake
Start drinking more water to feel and look your best in the days leading up to the wedding. Optimal hydration will help your skin, boost your energy levels, and aid in weight loss efforts, so it’s really a no-brainer. The most consistent recommendations for optimal hydration are either eight, eight-ounce glasses each day or half your weight in ounces per day.
Continue to Meditate
You know how we talked about meditating at the year-out mark? It’s just as important, if not more so, when you’re only one month away from your wedding. This is bound to be an exciting yet chaotic time, and regular meditation will keep your mind clear.
The Week of Your Wedding
The big day is finally almost here, but there are still several ways to keep healthy over these exciting days.
Get Adequate Sleep
It can be tough to sleep during the excitement of your wedding week, but you need rest in order to fully enjoy and take in all these special moments. Remember that meditation can aid in a good night’s sleep, and make it a priority to hit the sack at a reasonable hour each night this week.
Avoid Certain Foods
This week, avoid foods that are high in salt that can lead to bloating or dairy, which can be hard on skin. This week you’ll want to look and feel your best, so avoiding these foods is worth it!
These health tips are general guidelines. The most important thing is that you don’t let your physical and mental wellness fall in the priority list while you prepare for your big day.