Bride to be - trying to slim down for May 2016 wedding - looking for other brides to be!

kerijane88

Hiya,

I am 27 and a UK size 16. I am trying to use this app to help me eat better and slim down for my wedding in May next year. I would like to speak to other brides to be who are also slimming for the big day for support and advice.
What have you done about finding "The dress"... I am desperate to go looking and trying them on, however I don't want to fall in love with one and pay a small fortune on alterations when I reach my goal of size 10/12.

Thank you xx

IsaackGMOON

I'm not a bride, and I've never been married, but I can help.

OP what are your current stats and what is your goal weight?

You have 42 weeks until the 1st of May, 2016. So you've come at a good time... people who have weddings usually come to MFP when there is 5 weeks left or something.

Enter your details into MFP.

Set it for 0.5lb to 1.5lb loss per week (I needed to know your goal weight and current weight for this)

When you do exercise and you burn off calories, eat 50-75% of these back.

Eat what you want in moderation.

ndj1979

this is my standard advice:

1. Enter stats into MFP and set for x amount of weight loss.
2. Eat to the number that MFP gives you.
3. get a food scale and weigh all solid foods, and as many liquids as possible.
4. log everything
5. make sure that you are using correct MFP database entries
6. realize that there are no bad foods and that while the majority of foods should come from nutrient dense sources, there is nothing wrong with having pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc, as long as ones micro and macro needs are met.
7. macro setting are typically .85 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .45 grams of fat per pound of body weight; fill in rest with carbs.
8. find a form of exercise that you like and do it < not necessary for weight loss, but is for overall health and body comp.

couple stickies I would recommend:

Recomposition:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/33125652#Comment_33125652

Bulking:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10049766/bulking-a-complete-guide-for-beginners

sidesteels guide:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

ndj1979

IsaackGMOON wrote: »

I'm not a bride, and I've never been married, but I can help.

OP what are your current stats and what is your goal weight?

You have 42 weeks until the 1st of May, 2016. So you've come at a good time... people who have weddings usually come to MFP when there is 5 weeks left or something.

Enter your details into MFP.

Set it for 0.5lb to 1.5lb loss per week (I needed to know your goal weight and current weight for this)

When you do exercise and you burn off calories, eat 50-75% of these back.

Eat what you want in moderation.

this too

IsaackGMOON

ndj1979 wrote: »

IsaackGMOON wrote: »

I'm not a bride, and I've never been married, but I can help.

OP what are your current stats and what is your goal weight?

You have 42 weeks until the 1st of May, 2016. So you've come at a good time... people who have weddings usually come to MFP when there is 5 weeks left or something.

Enter your details into MFP.

Set it for 0.5lb to 1.5lb loss per week (I needed to know your goal weight and current weight for this)

When you do exercise and you burn off calories, eat 50-75% of these back.

Eat what you want in moderation.

this too

ayy

Liftng4Lis

Eat at a caloric deficit and you'll definitely lose.

kshama2001

I came back to MFP in April when my fiance and I set a date for June 2016 and I thought, "Ugh, wedding pictures."

I'm much older than you and have a different mindset about my wedding - I haven't even thought specifically about the dress yet - this is a second marriage for both of us and I am trying to keep it as small as possible. At one point I thought "Just the mothers" but my brother lives with mom, which means we'd have to invite my sister and my fiance's brother, and their families, so my latest thought is just to go to a JP, but my mother wants to go to that, and bring my brother...kill me now.



But having Wedding Pictures loom over me and a realistic time period of a year has been super helpful and I'm down 13.5 pounds since April. The wedding, whatever size it may turn out to be, has helped me with the motivation and dedication to make good eating decisions and to log scrupulously.

Krystle1984

I'm not a bride to be, but a bridesmaid to be, does that count?

You've already been given some solid advice, my tip would be not to get hung up on a time frame for losing weight. You have plenty of time to reach your goal, but if you make it all about reaching X weight/size by Y date then afterwards you will probably find you slip back to old habits and undo all your hardwork. Think of it more as a lifestyle change, one you can adopt for good.

Good luck!

oliviastrydom

I'm getting married in April 2016 and am a size 16/18, so I am in pretty much the same situation as you. I put off looking for a dress for ages as I knew I would feel fat and ugly when trying them on and wouldnt like any of them. However I've put it off as much as I can now and I have an appointment booked end of August as I need to order it soon to allow it time to arrive and get altered, as like you I plan on losing weight right up until the wedding. I have around 80lb to lose which I could reach by losing 2lb a week as I started dieting end of June. However I'll have to stop a month before so that the wedding dress fits right and isnt too loose so I doubt I will hit that target. I'm going to order my dress two sizes smaller (probably a 12 or 14 depending on what fits in the shop) because I feel confident I will lose the weight as the last three weeks I have been hitting my target. I can't give up as I don't have the time to start again, and this is a great motivator.

Alluminati

kshama2001 wrote: »

I came back to MFP in April when my fiance and I set a date for June 2016 and I thought, "Ugh, wedding pictures."

I'm much older than you and have a different mindset about my wedding - I haven't even thought specifically about the dress yet - this is a second marriage for both of us and I am trying to keep it as small as possible. At one point I thought "Just the mothers" but my brother lives with mom, which means we'd have to invite my sister and my fiance's brother, and their families, so my latest thought is just to go to a JP, but my mother wants to go to that, and bring my brother...kill me now.



But having Wedding Pictures loom over me and a realistic time period of a year has been super helpful and I'm down 13.5 pounds since April. The wedding, whatever size it may turn out to be, has helped me with the motivation and dedication to make good eating decisions and to log scrupulously.

You have a Fiance?? That's great! He's such a lucky man!

Sued0nim

When I got married I was a little shocked to find out the lead times on getting a wedding dress could run up to months ...I bought mine 3 months before my wedding and there was a lot of huffing and puffing in Pronuptia about I might have cut it too fine

So I'd ring round a few bridal shops and find out when you need to start looking ...also aim to be your target size by 4-6 weeks before for final alternations

As for losing weight NDJ has it covered, do that

And congratulations

TavistockToad

In the uk, most dress shops want 6-9 months lead in time from when you order your dress.

If I was you I'd order a dress in your current size - alterations are usually a set price anyway once you need a certain amount of work doing. If you're really confident you'll lose then go one size smaller - generally wedding dress sizes are cut small.

kerijane88

Thank you everyone. I'm currently on day 32 of using this app (starting after an all inclusive holiday which had gained me a good few pounds). So I am 32 days in and have only lost 11 pounds so far. I have been sticking to the calorie allowance which is 1200, set to loose 2lb per week. I haven't cheated and I am quite addicted to making sure I am within the count. My lifestyle isnt very active. I work 4 day's a week in an estate agents, go to university and have a 3 year old boy so time goes so quickly I don't have any "spare time" to schedule exercise in!
Can anyone recommend any more filling foods to try as my current meals are leaving me feeling hungry a lot of the time. Although I have no desire to cheat and snack when this happens I would like to try and eliminate that feeling of hunger in between meals.

Thank you again, everyone has been most helpful!

kerijane88

TavistockToad wrote: »

In the uk, most dress shops want 6-9 months lead in time from when you order your dress.

If I was you I'd order a dress in your current size - alterations are usually a set price anyway once you need a certain amount of work doing. If you're really confident you'll lose then go one size smaller - generally wedding dress sizes are cut small.

Thank you.. I didn't know this, I think I assumed I could just pick one up with a few weeks to go.. oops. I am determined to be a size 12 by the wedding but as you say they are cut small. Maybe I will opt for a basque type top which can be altered easily.

kerijane88

IsaackGMOON wrote: »

I'm not a bride, and I've never been married, but I can help.

OP what are your current stats and what is your goal weight?

You have 42 weeks until the 1st of May, 2016. So you've come at a good time... people who have weddings usually come to MFP when there is 5 weeks left or something.

Enter your details into MFP.

Set it for 0.5lb to 1.5lb loss per week (I needed to know your goal weight and current weight for this)

When you do exercise and you burn off calories, eat 50-75% of these back.

Eat what you want in moderation.

Hiya. I am currently at 210 pound and hoping to lose a minimum of 50 by my hen party in April. Am I being realistic, if I stick to the calorie allowance of 1200 for the next 9-10 months and fit in some more fast pace walking.

pineapple_peach10

I am a bridesmaid and my friend (the bride) was told to order her dress a minimum of 9 months before the day. This way you can have 3 fittings and get any needed alterations.

Congrats!

Krystle1984

kerijane88 wrote: »

Thank you everyone. I'm currently on day 32 of using this app (starting after an all inclusive holiday which had gained me a good few pounds). So I am 32 days in and have only lost 11 pounds so far. I have been sticking to the calorie allowance which is 1200, set to loose 2lb per week. I haven't cheated and I am quite addicted to making sure I am within the count. My lifestyle isnt very active. I work 4 day's a week in an estate agents, go to university and have a 3 year old boy so time goes so quickly I don't have any "spare time" to schedule exercise in!
Can anyone recommend any more filling foods to try as my current meals are leaving me feeling hungry a lot of the time. Although I have no desire to cheat and snack when this happens I would like to try and eliminate that feeling of hunger in between meals.

Thank you again, everyone has been most helpful!

Make sure you are eating plenty of protein and healthy fats as they will help you feel fuller. Lentils, beans, tofu, eggs and nuts are all good. (I'm vegetarian... Chicken is also excellent though apparently! Lol!)

50lbs should be doable in 10 months but bear in mind that as you get closer to your goal it will be harder to lose. You might also find it easier to switch your goal to a pound a week so you have more calories to play with. Starting with 1200 (the minimum recommended calorie intake for women) leaves you no room to cut down any further when you get closer to where you want to be and everything slows down.

Sued0nim

kerijane88 wrote: »

Thank you everyone. I'm currently on day 32 of using this app (starting after an all inclusive holiday which had gained me a good few pounds). So I am 32 days in and have only lost 11 pounds so far. I have been sticking to the calorie allowance which is 1200, set to loose 2lb per week. I haven't cheated and I am quite addicted to making sure I am within the count. My lifestyle isnt very active. I work 4 day's a week in an estate agents, go to university and have a 3 year old boy so time goes so quickly I don't have any "spare time" to schedule exercise in!
Can anyone recommend any more filling foods to try as my current meals are leaving me feeling hungry a lot of the time. Although I have no desire to cheat and snack when this happens I would like to try and eliminate that feeling of hunger in between meals.

Thank you again, everyone has been most helpful!

Weigh your food

Your target per week sounds high ..perhaps cut that down to 1-1.5lbs. Look to Fix your expectations ...11/4.5 weeks is 2.4lb per week...that's more than you should be losing if you want to preserve LBM (which you do)

Walk more

Get a fitbit or similar (basic model like a one or zip you can clip in your pocket or bra) and eat those too..then you can track your activity

Do some bodyweight exercises at home ..this is a good programme http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Ideally you should start a progressive heavy lifting programme too...it's muscles that make you taut and tight and give you killer shape

But the scale weight loss is down to your food so just keep weighing and measuring everything

UK food suggestions:
two chicks egg whites, laughing cow light, warburtons farmhouse bread
Total 0% Greek yogurts (with berries / honey)
Oat so Simple porridge sachets
BOL veggie pots over mixed salad leads ..thai coconut curry and lentil sambar are my favourites
Lots of fresh veggies
Chicken
Check out skinnytaste.com for great recipes for the whole family

kerijane88

rabbitjb wrote: »

kerijane88 wrote: »

Thank you everyone. I'm currently on day 32 of using this app (starting after an all inclusive holiday which had gained me a good few pounds). So I am 32 days in and have only lost 11 pounds so far. I have been sticking to the calorie allowance which is 1200, set to loose 2lb per week. I haven't cheated and I am quite addicted to making sure I am within the count. My lifestyle isnt very active. I work 4 day's a week in an estate agents, go to university and have a 3 year old boy so time goes so quickly I don't have any "spare time" to schedule exercise in!
Can anyone recommend any more filling foods to try as my current meals are leaving me feeling hungry a lot of the time. Although I have no desire to cheat and snack when this happens I would like to try and eliminate that feeling of hunger in between meals.

Thank you again, everyone has been most helpful!

Weigh your food

Your target per week sounds high ..perhaps cut that down to 1-1.5lbs. Look to Fix your expectations ...11/4.5 weeks is 2.4lb per week...that's more than you should be losing if you want to preserve LBM (which you do)

Walk more

Get a fitbit or similar (basic model like a one or zip you can clip in your pocket or bra) and eat those too..then you can track your activity

Do some bodyweight exercises at home ..this is a good programme http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Ideally you should start a progressive heavy lifting programme too...it's muscles that make you taut and tight and give you killer shape

But the scale weight loss is down to your food so just keep weighing and measuring everything

UK food suggestions:
two chicks egg whites, laughing cow light, warburtons farmhouse bread
Total 0% Greek yogurts (with berries / honey)
Oat so Simple porridge sachets
BOL veggie pots over mixed salad leads ..thai coconut curry and lentil sambar are my favourites
Lots of fresh veggies
Chicken
Check out skinnytaste.com for great recipes for the whole family

Sorry... I'm new to these kinds of discussion.. what does LBM mean?

Sued0nim

Lean body mass ...bones, organs and muscles

It's mainly muscle loss you need to be concerned with though

All scale weight lost is a combination of water, body fat and muscle

The less muscle you lose as you drop scale weight, the better for your overall body composition

This is a good example of the impact of denser muscle over body fat and how the body looks despite the scale ..bear in mind there are a couple of years between pictures (it's not me, it's a google image)



Also see http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

claireramsden88

I get married at the end of January, I ordered my dress three months ago, they do generally say 9 months. They will take your measurements as you are, i have my next fitting in October when my dress has been made, she told me they can take it in by up to two dress sizes. I'd just had my second baby 4 months before so this works well for me as that's how much I want to drop. The sizes for wedding dresses are ridiculously small, I think a 12 is more like an 8 high street. I would set a date in your mind to start looking and really work to lose as much as possible by then. Also get a dress with a corset back, you look a size smaller straight away!! Good luck and I hope you find your perfect dress!! Xx

Fulcherj1

So many people have given you good advice on how to work your diet/exercise and utilize MFP.

I just wanted to chime in and encourage you to stick with it through what is a very stressful time. I just got married a month ago and was in the same boat as you - wanting to lose weight to look good for the wedding! What I found helpful was to not beat myself up if my diet didn't go as planned for a day. There were so many food centered celebrations leading up to the wedding (engagement party, bridal shower, cake tasting, even just hanging out planning with the bridesmaids was rough since the they weren't dieting) BUT I sought a healthy balance of eating right and indulging a little on those days.

When all was said and done I was not as thin as I *thought* I wanted to be on that day, but you know what, it didn't make one iota of difference. What mattered on that day was just the pure joy of being with family and friends for such an awesome occasion.

I hope that all goes well for you and that you find your dress, that is such an awesome moment!

Patttience

I'd like to help you but i just find it frustrating when people ask for help and don't show us what you are eating. Open your diary please. It's really no big deal. We've all binged, eaten badly, and not as well as we're supposed to. Many people here still eat badly. No doubt in their minds, people would criticise the way I eat too but no one has done so out loud.

I suspect eating at 1200 is simply your problem. It's too low. If you are lucky, come about three months, or a bit longer you'll hit a wall. I think you should eat more and i say this only based on how much i guess you weigh now and how much i guess you want ot lose and my own successful experience or losing weight without much exercise.

When i started I put my diary at 1 one pound a week and I lost about 30 pounds in the first three months. This is because when you set your diary it works on an average loss. I lost steadily and easily and comfortably. In fact my dieting year in 2014 was the best food year of my life. All this hunger is going to back fire on you and the best way to fix it is to raise your daily calories as well as eat better food, (look for Low GI foods) and keep your meals reasonably close together. Don't live with hunger but eat nutritious foods. Eat fruit and vegetables. Eat legumes. Eat protein. Keep a food diary. I mean a proper food diary. Once you have the gist of how to eat to your calorie goal, you should find it easier and less time consuming to keep a simple food diary, not all this calorie counting. Its what i do.

As your wedding approaches, you may find yourself getting busier and more stressed and that's a danger time for overeating and eating badly. Beware the stressful periods. They can bring you unstuck. Resolve any problems quickly. Get help from suitable people with any issues that arise. Don't sit on them doing nothing but worrying.

Krystle1984

Patttience wrote: »

I'd like to help you but i just find it frustrating when people ask for help and don't show us what you are eating. Open your diary please. It's really no big deal. We've all binged, eaten badly, and not as well as we're supposed to. Many people here still eat badly. No doubt in their minds, people would criticise the way I eat too but no one has done so out loud.

I suspect eating at 1200 is simply your problem. It's too low. If you are lucky, come about three months, or a bit longer you'll hit a wall. I think you should eat more and i say this only based on how much i guess you weigh now and how much i guess you want ot lose and my own successful experience or losing weight without much exercise.

When i started I put my diary at 1 one pound a week and I lost about 30 pounds in the first three months. This is because when you set your diary it works on an average loss. I lost steadily and easily and comfortably. In fact my dieting year in 2014 was the best food year of my life. All this hunger is going to back fire on you and the best way to fix it is to raise your daily calories as well as eat better food, (look for Low GI foods) and keep your meals reasonably close together. Don't live with hunger but eat nutritious foods. Eat fruit and vegetables. Eat legumes. Eat protein. Keep a food diary. I mean a proper food diary. Once you have the gist of how to eat to your calorie goal, you should find it easier and less time consuming to keep a simple food diary, not all this calorie counting. Its what i do.

As your wedding approaches, you may find yourself getting busier and more stressed and that's a danger time for overeating and eating badly. Beware the stressful periods. They can bring you unstuck. Resolve any problems quickly. Get help from suitable people with any issues that arise. Don't sit on them doing nothing but worrying.

OP didn't really ask for help, was more interested in meeting other brides to be for support and advice. She's doing great so far (11lbs in 32 days is just over 2lbs a week if my maths is correct) and has been given a lot of good advice to make this journey sustainable for the long term.

Also why are you guessing at her stats and goals when OP has provided that information? Maybe read the whole thread next time.

Also, meal timing has nothing to do with weight loss...

I do agree with the last paragraph though.

TavistockToad

kerijane88 wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

In the uk, most dress shops want 6-9 months lead in time from when you order your dress.

If I was you I'd order a dress in your current size - alterations are usually a set price anyway once you need a certain amount of work doing. If you're really confident you'll lose then go one size smaller - generally wedding dress sizes are cut small.

Thank you.. I didn't know this, I think I assumed I could just pick one up with a few weeks to go.. oops. I am determined to be a size 12 by the wedding but as you say they are cut small. Maybe I will opt for a basque type top which can be altered easily.

Most wedding dresses are made for you, so you pick the one you want, try on the sample in the shop and then the dress is made for you, hence needing months notice. Unless you get a sample or discontinued dress in the sale.

A corset dress will help, as the lacing can be tighter/looser

kerijane88

OP didn't really ask for help, was more interested in meeting other brides to be for support and advice. She's doing great so far (11lbs in 32 days is just over 2lbs a week if my maths is correct) and has been given a lot of good advice to make this journey sustainable for the long term.

Also why are you guessing at her stats and goals when OP has provided that information? Maybe read the whole thread next time.

Also, meal timing has nothing to do with weight loss...

I do agree with the last paragraph though. [/quote]

Thank you. I tend to not eat when stressed so hopefully that will stop any pounds creeping back on!

kerijane88

Thank you to everyone...advice here is great. I don't have a good healthy variety of foods in my diet so I am probably not utilising my calories well at all, hence the hunger. I can understand this now thanks to this discussion...
Will be seeking advice on better foods to start introducing if anyone has any tips. I am trying to stay away from carbs as much as possible from here onwards, is this the right thing to do?
Mostly my meal plan for this week contains chicken, ham, egg, cereal and vegetables.

IsaackGMOON

kerijane88 wrote: »

Thank you to everyone...advice here is great. I don't have a good healthy variety of foods in my diet so I am probably not utilising my calories well at all, hence the hunger. I can understand this now thanks to this discussion...
Will be seeking advice on better foods to start introducing if anyone has any tips. I am trying to stay away from carbs as much as possible from here onwards, is this the right thing to do?
Mostly my meal plan for this week contains chicken, ham, egg, cereal and vegetables.

I wouldn't really bother leaving out carbs now because when you reintroduce them, you'll gain back all the water weight etc.

Just count your calories, eat in a deficit and you'll lose.