A Wedding Dress Diet & Workout Plan for 3 Months Before the Wedding
By Kayley George, RDN, LD
With your big day only 3 months away, we have to hit the ground running (not just figuratively). The first step is to establish a mindset and routine that you will be able to stick with to establish a wedding diet for 3 months.
No one ever said this was going to be easy, but progress never comes when you stay in your comfort zone.
Can I Start Losing Weight 3 Months Before My Wedding?
This 3 month plan will focus on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with weight training and a core work to complement it. These activities will help you drop weight rapidly, especially in the first two weeks, to get your momentum jump started.
Additionally, you will want to complement your workouts with healthy eating, which we will discuss how to do below.
What Do I Need To Do To Lose Weight in the 3 Months Leading Up To My Wedding?
Maybe you planned to start a wedding diet and exercise plan at 6 months, but it just didn’t happen. Do not worry if you haven’t had a sweat sesh in a while.
We will ease into the workouts, no matter if you are going to work out at home or a gym. Everyone starts somewhere, so let’s jump into it!
3 Month Wedding Diet Plan for Losing Weight
What does a healthy 3 month wedding diet plan look like when you are also preparing to get married? Here you will find simple things you can do to be healthier through your diet.
Schedule a Prep Day
Prepping certain food items at the beginning of the week can alleviate the stresses of preparing meals and/or snacks. Additionally, it makes your job easier when you feel hungry.
Instead of gravitating to convenience food options, you will have nutritious foods already made!
Mindful Eating
Stay in tune with your hunger cues and be present when you are eating your meals and snacks. Sometimes we may make the decision to eat without even realizing it.
For example, when you are watching a movie and find that you have eaten the whole bucket of popcorn. Find out what foods make you feel good. Additionally, analyze how your body tells you when it is hungry and full.
Drink Water
This is key! Hydration not only aids in regulating body temperature and moving wastes out of your system, but it is also necessary in order to metabolize fat and carbohydrates properly.
It also ensures that you are consuming less sugary beverages. Drinking water will help with physical activity, reducing the risk of muscle cramps and fatigue.
Keep It Simple
Focus on whole foods, rather than processed. This will ensure you are getting optimal nutrients in your diet and meeting your vegetable/fruit intake needs.
Many whole foods contain antioxidants, which are nutrients that will keep your immune system strong and protect you from disease.
Don’t Turn To Diets
Save the stress and time, and keep your food options open. Don’t make common bridal diet mistakes. There is no need to go on a juice fast or detox if you are sticking to more simple, whole foods.
You DO need a way to stay on track, plan, and/or prep your meals and snacks beforehand. If you have trouble with this, you can always seek a dietitian's help!
If you would like to know more about getting help from a registered dietitian, contact Kayley today for a FREE consultation!
3 Month Wedding Dress Workout Plan To Get Toned
Now that we have reviewed a wedding diet for the 3 months leading up to your wedding, let’s review a wedding workout plan for 3 months.
Week 1
HIIT: Three times a week focus on HIIT workouts for 30 - 45 minutes. This could be burpees for 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest. Run - on the spot with 2lb weights for 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest.
Watch this video for an intense 30 minute workout. It will show you every exercise and do it with you.
Strength: Once or twice a week focus on building strength. Start with lighter weight (5lbs), 4 sets of 15 reps for each exercise. You could do chest, back, triceps, biceps, legs, shoulders. Focus on 2 areas per day, for example back and triceps.
Here is a video of a 30 minute full body dumbbell workout.
Core: 100 abdominal workouts every day (100 situps, or 100 crunches, or 100 bicycles each leg, etc). If you don’t feel the burn, do the workout slower.
This is a video that will burn your core but you will feel better when you complete it.
Week 2
HIIT: Three times a week focus on HIIT workouts for 30 - 45 minutes. This could be burpees for 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest. Run-on the spot with 2lb weights for 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest.
This video is a HIIT workout with weight included. You don’t have to do it with weight.
Strength: Go up in weight (10-15lbs), 3-4 sets of 12 reps for each exercise. Change your focus area from what you did last week. You could do chest, back, triceps, biceps, legs, shoulders. Focus on 2 areas per day.
Here is a great video that is very beneficial for strength training.
Core: Continue your 100 abdominal workouts every day (100 situps, or 100 crunches, or 100 bicycles each leg, etc).
Week 3
Cardio: It’s time to include some cardio, go for a 20-30 minute walk, twice a week. This could mean you have to set your alarm to wake up 20-30 minutes earlier, but trust me it’s worth it.
HIIT: Twice a week focus on HIIT workouts with weight for 30 - 45 minutes. This could be burpees for 20 seconds with 2lb weights in each hand, 10 seconds rest. Run - on the treadmill at high speed for 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest.
Strength: Now it’s time to up that strength, you should go for strength 2-3 times a week. You will still be working on the muscle groups but gradually increasing the weight.
Day 1 of strength - Chest & Triceps
Day 2 of strength - Back & Biceps
Day 3 of strength - Legs & Shoulders
Core: 100 abdominal workouts every day (100 situps, or 100 crunches, or 100 bicycles each leg, etc). If you don’t feel the burn, do the workout slower.
Week 4
Your routine should be well and truly established by now. If for some reason you have fallen off track, go ahead and start back up here.
Cardio: Twice-three times a week you should go for a 20-30 minute brisk walk/light jog. This will get your heart rate up and you will be burning calories.
HIIT: Twice a week focus on HIIT workouts with weight for 30 - 45 minutes. This could be burpees for 20 seconds with 3lb weights in each hand, 10 seconds rest. Run-on the treadmill at a higher speed than the previous week (week 3).
Strength: We will keep going with your strength, and adding more weight to your lift. You should go for strength 2-3 times a week. You will still be working on the muscle groups but gradually increasing the weight.
Day 1 of strength - Chest & Triceps
Day 2 of strength - Back & Biceps
Day 3 of strength - Legs & Shoulders
Core: Ensure you do 100 abdominal workouts every day (100 situps, or 100 crunches, or 100 bicycles each leg, etc). If you don’t feel the burn, do the workout slower.
Weeks 5-8
If you find your motivation waning after the last 4 weeks of hard work, that’s normal. It’s common to ride the momentum for the first few months and then hit roadblocks, start making excuses, struggle to stay motivated or start plateauing.
If you find yourself in any of these boats know that your consistency will pay off in the long run! You might not see the progress you want right now, but remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint.
As your big date creeps closer and closer, your stress levels are likely rising, even if you don’t notice it! Now is a great time to include Pilates into your routine, which will help you maintain your strength as well as relax and stretch your body.
You can find workouts on YouTube or go to a studio and take a class. It will be hard on your body at first, but it is ready for the challenge! Here is a favorite Pilates workout of mine that you can do from the comfort of your home.
HIIT: Should you continue doing HIIT? The answer is yes, of course, you should. It’s recommended to do HIIT 2-3 times a week to keep your metabolism and stamina high.
Strength: If you have time, include two to three strength workouts a week. They don’t have to be with weights—you can take advantage of body weight in the form of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and planks.
Core: You want to ensure that your core is staying strong as well. Try adding 100 abdominal exercises every day, which should only take about 3 minutes. Everyone has three extra minutes in their day!
Weeks 9-11
Get plenty of sleep, eat well, and don’t exhaust yourself with strenuous workouts. Now is a time to look back to where you started. Look how far you’ve come, and pat yourself on the back.
Did you think you would make it? Well, guess what, you’ve come this far. The finish line is in sight, so don’t stop now!
It’s time to give yourself the praise you deserve. Treat yourself to a massage, facial, or manicure. Appreciate how hard your body has worked!
Let your mind float free and don’t worry about what else you have to do for the wedding. Just give yourself those 30-60 minutes to relax, you deserve it!
Meditation/Yoga: Four times a week, put aside a minimum of 5 minutes and up to 1 hour to meditate, reflect, and feel gratitude. It does not have to be long - your body will be thankful for just 5 minutes of this quiet reflection.
If you have a yoga mat, try lying flat on your back, relaxing your body and closing your eyes. Sometimes it’s hard to shut off the never-ending to-do list in your head, but now is the time to set those thoughts aside.
Here is a video for you to follow along with a yoga class.
HIIT: If stress levels are through the roof, I would recommend going to the gym or getting a home workout in. Getting a heavy lifting or HIIT workout will relieve a lot of stress on your body and mind.
Cardio: A nice walk in the park or maybe even a visit to the location of your wedding would be great. You will be able to visualize how things will look and what you want to achieve within the next 2-3 weeks. This is being active and treating your body well, as well as, getting some last-minute necessities completed.
Core: Be consistent in your pursuit of fantastic abs and vary your movements so that your muscles don't get bored.
Week 12 - 1 Week Before the Wedding
By now you should be feeling revived and happy with yourself. You have accomplished a lot and come so far. Think back to three months ago, when you first started working out and treating your body better.
How did you feel then compared to now? Chances are, you currently have more energy, elevated spirits, and less stress.
You’ve been anticipating your big day for so long and now the time has come. On the morning of, give yourself some space and go for a 20 minute walk.
You might say you don’t have 20 minutes to spare, but some fresh air will calm your nerves and set you up for the day. If you’re short on time, how about a 3 minute ab workout?
This will give you a quick sweat and get you energized for the long day ahead of you.
If you are committed to eating a healthy diet and sticking to a workout plan, you will be able to lose weight in the 3 months leading up to your wedding and look absolutely gorgeous in your wedding dress.
It is YOUR day, so go out and enjoy it! Don’t let anyone ruin it for you. In the last 3 months you have done everything you can that’s in your control.
You implemented a 3 month wedding diet, completed all the workouts you could, and gave it your all. You have come a long way and look fit and sexy. I am so proud of you!
If your or any brides you know have not implemented a wedding diet plan quite yet, we would love to help - set up a FREE discovery call with us today!
Published on Feb 17, 2020 at 11:29 am