Introduce Yourself

brisingr86

Hi! I'm Sarah. JUST got engaged and a little intimidated by the planning process. I work a pretty demanding desk job so it's tough to fit in the workouts sometimes and I'm pretty bad about emotional eating.
Big Day: ~July 2016 (haven't set a date yet)
CW: 162 (I'm 5' 5")
GW: 120 (overall and for big day)
Hobbies: reading (fantasy/sci-fi thriller), cooking (love to exchange recipes), crochet
Favorite workout activities: I like Jillian Michaels and elliptical, but trying to get into running (fiance competes in 5k races in the fall)

BioQueen

Hi! I'm Sio, I am currently a second year medical student. I yo-yoed a bit in college and for two years after, but I FINALLY figured things out (never 100% perfect though of course) and I only have about 7-12 more pounds to go!
Big Day: 7/11 of this year (so very soon lol)
SW: 181 (height 5'5")
CW: 132
GW: 120
Wedding weight maybe 130? It won't be crazy different than what I am now but I'm okay with 130.
Hobbies: reading, cooking/baking, crochet, horseback riding (when I can afford to, can't do it much now with school), and going on long walks
Favorite Workouts: horseback riding is always #1, but not doable at the moment, otherwise I love to walk. My exercise attempts ebb and flow (usually ebbing). I will run in the winter when it is cold, but I can't run in the heat. I also do yoga at home, but I don't do classes or groups.

brisingr86

Welcome Sio! Congrats on your loss already (and on the rapidly approaching big day)!

amarie878

Hi! I'm Anne Marie and I've got 79 days to my wedding!

I'm at 150 lbs and 5'6". I'm about a month out from my first fitting so I'm just trying to do my best to maybe lose 5 pounds by then, possibly 10 lbs by the wedding. I have a corset in my dress so I'm not terribly worried about not fitting it. But I'm being realistic so I'll be happy if I'm in the 140s for the wedding/honeymoon.

Trying to eat clean following the Fit Girls 28 day jumpstart philosophy and MFP while exercising 5 times a week. I've got bad knees so I'm typically doing elliptical tabata, rowing machine or spin class while mixing in 2-3 strength sessions a week.

I've got shower #1 this Sunday and shower #2 in a month so I'm hoping I can look decent in a summer dress for now.

brisingr86

Welcome Anne Marie! It's awesome that you have reasonable expectations. What's the Fit Girls 28 thing? I haven't heard of it. Do you use a program for strength or just do a mix of exercises?

amarie878

My sister turned me on to it. It's just an ebook with recipes and it basically just follows a clean eating diet - nothing new or groundbreaking, but I will say they have a really friendly and flexible approach and their recipes are pretty yummy. For some people, like me I just need the concept wrapped in a fun and pretty bow to stick to it for some reason. So I've gone 4 days focusing on it's principles and have done pretty good.

You can do check ins via social media, mostly instagram, and stuff like that. Only cost is the ebook(s) once and that it's.

http://fitgirlsguide.com/

As for exercise, I'm go to small group training 2x a week and my company's gym has people that can give you some programs to follow so I've got that going on. I don't mind sharing them if you're interested?

kialey89

My name is kialey and I am getting married july 18 and I have about 3 weeks left I have really done well in the last few months but now I just tried on my dress and they ordered a smaller size than they should have so if I loose a few more pounds I should be good and not have it altered im really excited to encourage and be encouraged by you ladies

Fitforevermore

I'm 5ft7 and 180lbs, goal weight is 147lbs. I get married end of May next year. Hoping to be toned and lean I've started doing a type of 5x5 weights routine twice a week, and I do group classes like body pump, kettle bells and spin. Food is usually my issue so trying to get on top of it. I want to be at goal weight near christmas so I can start dress shopping.

smontes16

My name is Sarah, my wedding is October 17th, 2015. I have lost 10 lbs in 54 days by simply being in a calorie deficit. My goal is to reach a total loss of 20lbs before the big day. 10 more lbs to go

CostaRica120

Hi ladies! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all
My name is Jill, I got engaged last October (in Paris!) and I'm getting married on New Year's Eve 2015, so I have about 6 months left.
I've lost about 10 lbs so far this year and I'm currently just under 140. It's ambitious but I'd love to be around 125 by my wedding, since I feel like that's about where I need to be to have my arms look the way I want, but anything under 130 would be fine.
You can see my dress in my profile picture. I hope that when I go for my fitting we are all amazed by how much it needs to be taken in...but also hope it's no problem with alterations, haha.

tabby_123

Hello everyone! My name is Tabitha. I'm 5'4'' and 177 lbs. I'm restarting this weight loss journey once again with the intention of getting fit for my wedding! I got engaged last March in Charleston, SC and my wedding won't be until after I finish law school (and the Mr. finishes his MBA), which puts us at a date of August 26, 2017. I'd like to get down to 135 lbs. for the wedding, maybe even 125 depending on how ambitious I get. We have contingently planned on a honeymoon in Hawaii as well so I'll be toning during my final stages of weight loss to look good on the beach!

I plan on losing the weight by eating an average of 1300 calories a day along with working out 3-4 times a week, if law school allows it! Since I have over 2 years to plan, I'm not too worried about it, but ideally, I'd like to lose all of the weight within the next year so I can get fitted for a dress and start toning.

Cheers to us brides-to-be!

brisingr86

Welcome everyone! Looking forward to getting to know everyone.
Anne Marie: I've done StrongLifts 5x5 (@fitfor30th, is that what you're using?), and Jillian videos have some strength. I like the app for strong lifts, but some equipment limitations in my gym and challenges with being consistent so I haven't progressed very far.

Kialey: That's a pain that they ordered a smaller size, but fantastic that you have such a great attitude and are able to use it as motivation. Good luck. Hope all the final details are coming into place for the big day. You'll have to share some of your tips and tricks for the planning process since you've been through most of it at this point.

@fitfor30th : I'm right there with you on the food problems and somewhat similar timing for wedding. I've been reading stuff and I'm actually wondering about how long to wait (to lose/tone) for dress shopping without limiting options because it takes 6 months or whatever to get the dress. It's nice to see you're looking at similar timing as I was thinking for dress shopping with maybe even an earlier date. Sounds like an intense workout routine. Good for you!

Sarah: Congrats on your progress so far and good luck on those last 10 lbs. Seems like you should at least be able to get pretty close if not achieve in the next ~14-15 weeks. Let us know how the group can support you to achieve your goal.

Jill: Congrats on the progress (you look amazing in your profile pic!) and good luck on your last 10-15 (and the resulting alterations). Sounds like quite the romantic extravaganza with an engagement in Paris and NYE ceremony.

Tabitha: Exciting for the possible honeymoon in Hawaii (have you been before?). It's nice that you have a good long engagement to plan and take a reasonable approach to getting fit for the wedding. Hopefully the planning and law school don't get too stressful, but seems like you have a solid plan. What kind of workouts do you do?

Fitforevermore

Thanks for the support, why does it take 6 months to get a dress? I thought you just go in and buy one?! I was also considering having one made and thought that would only take 2 months

BioQueen

fitfor30th wrote: »

Thanks for the support, why does it take 6 months to get a dress? I thought you just go in and buy one?! I was also considering having one made and thought that would only take 2 months

They recommend you buy your dress at least 8 months before the wedding. I would imagine it take a long time to make and get it to you. I ended up getting my dress off the floor (I was very lucky!) so I was able to take it home with me that day.

tabby_123

brisingr86 wrote: »

Tabitha: Exciting for the possible honeymoon in Hawaii (have you been before?). It's nice that you have a good long engagement to plan and take a reasonable approach to getting fit for the wedding. Hopefully the planning and law school don't get too stressful, but seems like you have a solid plan. What kind of workouts do you do?

I've never been to Hawaii so I'm pretty excited! Right now, I stick to mainly cardio (usually treadmill, elliptical, and stepper, sometimes swimming and tennis) and when I get further along in my weight loss (I'm only 8 lbs. down), I will add in weights.

val9471

Hi everyone! My name is Val. I just graduated with my Masters in nursing. I am getting married April 2, 2016. Currently in am following the 21 day fix program. Yesterday was day 1. I also enjoy biking and running. I put on roughly 25 lbs when I had 2 knee surgeries in a 2 year time period. My goal is to lose this weight before I get married. I look forward to this group and am definitely excited to be a part of it!

brisingr86

Welcome Val. Congrats on earning your Masters! Looking forward to having you.

Fitforevermore

Being a student kills your waistline, nevermind surgery!

gthing1978

I'm here too, my name is Rachel. My life has been crazy in the past 2 years and my weight has been creeping up. I am getting married on 12/6/15 and need to lose at least 10 pounds (but would be thrilled with 15). I just cannot seem to stick to any sort of eating plan as there has been so much going on (new job, new house, wedding planning, dealing with ex husband who is miserable and uses kids against me).
Big Day: 12/6/15
CW: 160 (5'6") I usually stay at 150 which is "normal" for my height but in past 6 months it has crept up as my gym time has decreased and my wining and dining with my fiancee has increased (oops!)
GW: 145
Hobbies: travel, writing, shopping, baking, reading
Favorite workout activities: ummm… none!!! I loathe working out! I do the gym thing (when I am doing good, lol) about 25 min cardio/25 min strength 3x a week. Hoping… er, I mean going to get back to the gym after having surgery on Thursday (I had an embedded IUD removed and a uterine ablation) in 1 week.

brisingr86

Welcome Rachel! You have time so should be reasonable to drop that 10-15, but I know it can be difficult to stick to a system with so much going on. Hopefully the group can help. Since you aren't big on the workouts, are there other activities you can do to be active that maybe don't seem like "workouts"? i.e., walks/hiking/biking/rollerblading with the kids and/or fiance, day at the beach swimming, kickball/soccer/volleyball game with family/friends? I'm similar height and weight so let's do this together.

gthing1978

I like to (I say that relatively speaking, lol) go to the gym because it is hotter than Haties outside this time of year (most days are 105) and outdoor play is very limited. I like to get in and out and check it off my list. During Fall and Spring I play with my kids outside a lot. On weekends we typically swim at my mom's house which is about 30 minutes away but I work M-Th from 7-5 with an hour commute each way so weekends are really the only chance I have to get up there. I have historically been good about going to the gym on Fridays and Sundays but I am going to try and add a mid week workout into the mix.

It seems like there are a number of us looking to lose 10-15 pounds… why in the world is it so difficult? I tell myself, "Oh it's just 10 pounds…" but if it is "just 10 pounds" why is it so dang hard to lose?!

Looking forward to getting to know everyone Happy Monday, I am exhausted

MsMarlaJean

Hi There! My name is Marla Jean and I just got engaged this month (9.6.2015) and it will be my 1st wedding, which is a little goofy to me since I am 44 years old and was thinking I wouldn't ever get married, but when you finally meet "The One" everything changes right!?

We've set the date for 9.10.2016, so I have just under a year to plan and continue forward with my health and fitness goals, I had a bit of a relapse or re-gain, if you will, this past year (Jan-Sept). It's been a year of peaks and valleys for sure, but while I never quit, a wedding is giving me a new sense of motivation.

My first goal is to shake this fitness funk I've been in and workout! Second I'd like to lose the weight I've gained this year which is approximately 18-20 pounds. After that, I'll re-*kitten*...

We live in S.E. Alaska and the one thing my fiance has insisted on is having the wedding here in our hometown. This offers some challenges because it's an island and vendors and the like are limited. We're obviously still in the brainstorming phase, but some things are falling into place...our save-the-dates are pretty clever I think, and will be going out with our Christmas letters since out of town guests will need the extra time since we live on an island and it isn't cheap to get here...

Well, before I write a book I'll stop Looking forward to learning more about you all and your weddings! How exciting this all is.

brisingr86

Welcome Marla Jean! and Congratulations! Glad you found your "One". Hopefully we can help support you through your challenges and you'll be able to offer suggestions as others are going through their own peaks and valleys.

Sarah

Alioth

Hi, I'm Lizz.
My boyfriend and MFP member, PrivateerKhan, popped the question yesterday. My head is spinning since there is so much to plan. We've been dating 14 months now. In that time, I've gained about 20 lbs. The wedding will probably be this spring or early summer--after he gets out of school because he is an elementary art teacher. I would like to tone up and get back into the 130s before then. My cousin is sending me her wedding dress. She's shorter than me, so I have no idea if it can be altered to fit me until after I get a chance to try it on. But almost all dresses now are the sleeveless type. I do not want my back flab bulging out over the top of the dress. And let's not forget the wedding night and honeymoon swimsuit issues. I have a lot of work to do!

H: 5'4"
CW: 157
GW 1: 144 --Healthy BMI
GW 2: 136 --A good "normal" for me
GW 3: 128 --Haven't seen this number since college!

My fiancee is well within a healthy weight, but he plans to tone up over the next several months. Good for him, but that just puts more pressure on me to do the same. He runs. Losing weight is easy for him. I hate running. I've gotten to the point where I hate working out at all. I hurt all over at the end of every work day because I'm on my feet as a barista. I have trouble keeping healthy food in the house because my family will eat it all before I do. They cook really fattening food too. It's going to be a rocky road losing weight this time. I really could use some support from you guys.

brisingr86

Welcome Lizz, and congratulations! It's a lot, but it is manageable. The 21-29 lbs in 7-8 months should be doable, but it will be tough. My fiance's a runner too (I'm kind of trying, but not really my thing either). If you want to tone and not just lose weight (make sure you take measurements and not just look at the scale), make sure you include some kind of strength training in your routine. If you're on your feet a lot during the day, can you do more low impact exercise (swimming? biking?)? Sorry I don't have much help on the food/family challenges since I've lived on my own through my journey until my fiance moved in. Maybe others can help. Good luck and hopefully this group can be a resource and source of support.

Sarah (brisingr86)

CostaRica120

Hi Lizz! Congrats!!! So fun that you're both on MFP We're a small but supportive group, so welcome! Take one day at a time, check in here often, and I'm sure you'll make great progress towards your goals

Alioth

Thank you! I did take starting measurements. I'm feeling overwhelmed with all I need to work on, but I know it will all get done eventually.

Chezzie84

Hi all.
I got engaged in March and we have set the date for 2nd September 2017.
I have found THE DRESS and tried it on this weekend, I felt so amazing until I looked at the photos of myself in it. I look so fat and dumpy (205lb - 5foot 5inches).
I have until September next year to lose weight before my measurements are taken. I am aiming for 40lb.

brisingr86

Welcome Chezzie! and congratulations on your engagement. Forty pounds in 10 months should be doable without any unhealthy measures (and even if you aren't quite where you want to be, you still have plenty of time to continue your journey until the wedding, fittings are there to make adjustments). Please take a look at our discussion boards and join in wherever. We typically set monthly goals (sometimes with a theme; this month is around avoiding bad habits and improving nutrition) and check in approximately weekly and then there are side discussions if you want to bounce ideas off the group, get ideas, or just need to vent about the challenges of planning a wedding. I hope this group can be a strong support for you on your journey to look your best on your big day!

Sarah (Brisingr86)

CostaRica120

Hey Chezzie! Congrats! Love fall weddings You can totally do it! There will def be some struggles but if you keep moving in the right direction as consistently as possible, you'll achieve that goal! Welcome

- Jill

Chezzie84

brisingr86 wrote: »

this month is around avoiding bad habits and improving nutrition)
Sarah (Brisingr86)

This is a very apt goal for me since my eating habits had started to slip