Wedding day nutrition to help you look, feel and be fabulous!

We set a date for 6 months and started planning. Who knew how much there was to plan! My advice to anyone is make lists and then lists of lists and just take it slow, it all comes together in the end.

But let’s focus on the point of the blog – I knew it was going to be the most romantic, wonderful day and I wanted to look & feel fantastic and body confident on the day. I wanted to be able to look back at the photos and be happy with them (well really be happy with how I, my stomach and my derriere look in them).

So what were my body confidence and health goals?

Not that many…

Let’s face it, most little girls (and boys) dream about their big day from when they are young, they have every detail planned and know what to start with. I was not one of those girls, only once I fell in love with my husband, did I think of weddings, only once he popped the question did I think of all the things that needed to be done. It dawned on me that it can really be hard to do everything (work, plan, live, love) and still eat well! From those thoughts, my goals, and how I wanted to feel, was ‘Nutrition Bridal Bootcamp’  born and I used myself, my mom & my sister as the guinea pigs.

Keep a week long food diary

Identify the sugar, alcohol, caffeine and processed foods and remove them from the diet- completely, these are by far the biggest negative influences on stress, energy, immune system and weight.

Sugar is the ‘wrinkle monster’, it binds to collagen causing its fibres to stick together and become rigid; creating wrinkles, sags and bags! It also inhibits vitamin C which is crucial for the production of collagen, to maintain a healthy immune system and to help our body deal with stress.

I started with a food diary, even as a nutritional therapist I was amazed at how much sugar had crept in – sugar was BAD for all my goals, so that had to go. End of!

Drink plenty of water every day

Not only to keep skin cells hydrated and improve circulation to ensure efficient nutrient delivery to the cells, but also to keep a clear head so that you can make all the decisions.

Aim to drink around 8 glasses of water, sipped slowly through the day – this can be in the form of water, or herbal teas.  Fruit and vegetables also contain a lot of water and help you remain hydrated

Balance blood sugar

To prevent sugar in blood binding to collagen and elastin in the skin, and optimise the function of vitamin C – a key vitamin needed for the production of collagen, increase energy, and boost the immune system.

Eliminate/reduce sugar, refined and processed  foods and replace with wholegrain alternatives plus vegetables and some fruit.  Eat plenty of fibre every day to ensure optimal bowel elimination of toxins and excess hormones.

Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast, your body will only compensate by releasing sugar stores into the bloodstream.

Ensure that a good quality protein is eaten with every meal for blood sugar balance and for the growth/ repair of cells, hair and skin tissue.

Include essential fats daily: these have anti-inflammatory properties, help nutrients pass through into your body’s cells and help keep your skin soft and supple and hair shiny.

Boost your immune system

Nobody wants to feel ill in the run up to or on their wedding day. Ensure that you are following recommendations above and eat a rainbow of coloured fruit and vegetables every day! Herbs & spices such as rosemary, parsley, chilli, turmeric, ginger & cinnamon are a beneficial too. Supplements choices can be a minefield, please get in touch if you would like to know more about good immune support supplements.