A Bridal Body

I am pretty sure that one of the most exciting things about planning a wedding is getting to go shopping for your dress.   But, with this excitement can come the shear paranoia and anxiety of getting half naked in front of a complete stranger, and hoping that if you suck in enough, the size zero sample really will zip up.  I notice more and more, when cruising around other bridal blogs, that losing weight to look great in your dress is an ongoing theme.  I know that I fall into this category, I mean, who doesn't want to look amazing on her big day?  However, I offer the notion, of rather than crash dieting and cutting out food groups in order to lose the last 5lbs, what if you made an investment in your overall health, learning to lose the weight in the appropriate manner, so that the 5lbs you lost, doesn't become 15lbs that you gain back. 

 

In step Maura Manzo, a health counselor who will work one-on-one with her clients to help them lose weight, achieve balance in their lives, and lower stress levels all around.  Maura will design a program specific to your needs and goals, and will work with you over the course of three to six months to see that your goals are met.   The idea is to create new, healthy habits that stay with you. It is not about what you can’t do or can’t eat – it’s all about what works best you.  Head on over to her website to learn more about the program, and take the first step to not only becoming a beautiful, and healthy bride; but a beautiful, and healthy you.   

(photo from Maura Manzo)

Comments

[Maggie]

Dress try-on angst is definitely an issue for me. I feel good about how I look (I eat well and work out regularly), but I live in a town where sample sizes are closer to 0 than 10, and starving yourself or being chained to a personal trainer is considered par for the (wedding) course. (I documented my worst experience here, btw - it's so bad it's funny: http://eatdrinkmarry.blogspot.com/2008/09/dear-bitchy-bridal-store_02.html .) The good news is, I'm hoping my last day of try-ons is tomorrow, and then I'll never have to defend my curves to another bridal store consultant ever again!

[Maggie]

Dress try-on angst is definitely an issue for me. I feel good about how I look and know that I'm healthy (I'm a natural foods nut and work out at least four times a week), but I live in a town where starving yourself or exercising yourself to a sliver is par for the [wedding] course. Bridal stores here accommodate the lifestyle with sample sizes closer to 0 than 10, and don't quite know what to do with someone who has a well-adjusted body image. (I documented my worst experience thus far - it was so bad, it was hilarious - here: http://eatdrinkmarry.blogspot.com/2008/09/dear-bitchy-bridal-store_02.html .) The good news is that if all goes well, my last dress try-on will be tomorrow, and then I'll never have to defend my curves to a bridal consultant ever again!

[Allie]

Fortunately, I had a fantastic wedding dress trying-on experience (despite the size 6 samples on my 5'11" broad-shouldered frame) — but I had a terrible experience at another shop looking at bridesmaids dresses, so I can definitely relate. :)

On the lifestyle eating/exercising side of things, I have to recommend the book "Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell" by Debra Waterhouse. The target audience is probably slightly older than my mid-20s self, but the habits she encourages in the book are best to start young. She talks a lot about aerobic exercise and forming healthy life-long eating habits that never involve yo-yo dieting. It's a quick read and I recommend it to everyone — brides-to-be included.