Wedding season is upon us! Here are some great tips from Dr. Keith Kantor to help you fit comfortably into your wedding dress.
- Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water plain per day (140 lb. person should consume at least 70 fl. Oz. of water per day). Water is a natural way to clear the body of toxins and water retention. Avoid adding non-calorie artificial sweeteners to your water, this could actually work against you, making you crave carbohydrates due to an insulin spike from the artificial sweeteners. A bonus of being hydrated properly is your skin will look radiant on the wedding day!
- Avoid consuming excess sodium. Sodium causes the body to retain water and may make you look extra bloated and “puffy” in your dress. If you use a nutrition counter, try to keep your daily milligrams of sodium below 2000mg. Avoid processed snacks like chips, crackers, cookies, and salty meals like Chinese, Mexican, Pizza and/or soup.
- Make sure you get plenty of vegetables and some fruits in (a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to fruits is optimal, to avoid excessive fructose sugar consumption). Consuming at least 6 servings (9-11 is optimal) of vegetables and fruits per day will help keep you hydrated and “regular,” preventing bloat on the big day. If it is hard for you to get a lot of vegetables and fruits in, consider making a shake in the morning for breakfast, consisting of dark berries, spinach, carrots, unsweetened almond or coconut milk and a scoop of protein powder.
- Avoid excessive carbohydrates even from whole grains. Obviously processed flours and sugars are not optimal for weight management, but even whole grains in excess can contribute to weight gain and bloat. Any time the insulin level is raised from excessive carbohydrate intake, the body is not able to burn fat efficiently. Center your meals on vegetables, protein and healthy fats. A spinach salad with salmon, vegetables and an oil and vinegar based dressing is a great option.
- Incorporate both cardiovascular and strength training into your daily routine especially the last few days leading up to the wedding. Cardiovascular activities like, walking, running, swimming, etc. will contribute to weight management and overall daily calorie burn. Strength training will keep your muscles looking toned and tight, especially your arms and back for your wedding dress.
- Sweat in the sauna or steam room. This is another great way to detox your skin and will help you shed excess water weight. Aim to hit the sauna 3-4 times per week for 15-30 minutes. Try to take a shower immediately after you get out to rinse off the toxins in the sweat on your skin.
- Eliminate high allergy foods from your diet. High allergy foods cause inflammation which can cause your body to hold onto excess body fat and water. High allergy foods include, gluten/wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, and peanuts.
- Take your core supplements. A high quality multi-vitamin, omega-3 fish oil and multi-probiotic should all be consumed daily. If your body is deficient in any nutrients, you could be holding onto excess body fat due to inadequate metabolism. By taking your core supplements regularly you will also maintain a strong immune system for all of the wedding and honeymoon festivities!
This is a preview to an article that will soon be publsihed in Weddings and Honeymoons Magazine.
Be sure and order your copy of Dr. Kantor’s highly praised new book What Matters: Leadership Values that Just Might Save America. Proceeds from sales benefit the American Diabetes Foundation, the All-Natural Food Council of North America, the Natural Products Association.