I'm getting married!!! (And I need some weight-loss help!)

So, Josh proposed on May 16...we're getting married April 5, so a little over 10 months from now. I really want to buckle down and get back into the weight-loss stuff.

I lost about 80 pounds total over a year, but I've gained about 10-12 of that back. I need ideas on how to get the rest of the weight off and also about toning up! I do NOT want a wedding dress with SLEEVES, so I want to tone my arms up so that I'm not self-conscious about them. I'm going to buy some 10 pound barbells this afternoon and start doing some reps with those, but does anybody have any other suggestions for that?

In terms of the weight-loss, I'm going to get back to drinking water constantly and not eating sweets! I've been advised to cut out bread, so I'm going to try that, or at least try to cut back on breads...not sure I can cut it out completely! I lost the 80 pounds without exercising, so I'm going to try and add more activity to my days. Bought a push-mower, so that will be something. Going to try and start walking more also.

My bottom goal is just to look and FEEL beautiful when I walk down the aisle. Josh loves me, regardless of how I look, and tells me that on a regular basis. But, I know that if *I* can feel better about myself, I'll be happier and he'll be happier in the long run. Any advice/suggestions are really appreciated! :-D

Replies

  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
    Congrats! Sounds like you already have a plan. Stick to your calories (set a realistic calorie goal), drink lots of water, try to increase your activity as much as possible. Carve out 30-60 minutes every day for some exercise. You can do it. 10 months is a very decent chunk of time to make a serious change to you and your lifestyle!
  • rbarragato412
    rbarragato412 Posts: 42 Member
    I'm getting married next November, and decided there's no better way to lose the weight than to just DO IT! I can't get my future husband on board, but he's starting to see me lose weight and is starting to become motivated.

    Get outside, get your healthy food shopping done and just do it! Not only to look amazing walking down the aisle, but because you're going into this marriage for the long run and want to live a happy LONG life with your future husband!
  • Rgtjax85
    Rgtjax85 Posts: 99 Member
    Congrats on your upcoming marriage. It seems like since you have lost weight in the past you have a basic idea of what needs to be done. Cardio is going to help you lose the weight. And lifting weights will help you tone up those arms. You will want to do more than just bicep curls in order to keep from getting bored and also once those 10 pounders get too light you should go up in weight of your dumbbells. My fav cardio is running but do what works for you. Also mix in push-ups and other body weight exercises. I wish you two the best and remember that the healthier you are the longer you can live and enjoy each other.
  • adioschubs
    adioschubs Posts: 384 Member
    I think you are definitely on the right track with buying barbells. Lifting weights and increasing your strength should tone up your arms if you work at it! You can always opt to do dvds or follow a program if you don't know where to start.
  • ryl217
    ryl217 Posts: 61 Member
    Congrats! I do a lot of cardio and step workouts with hand weights, the ones I have now are 2lbs each. It definitely ups the burn and instead of resting in between exercises I do presses, cross body punches, curls, ect. with the weights, so I'm resting without really resting ;)
    Jillian Michaels seems to really be getting a lot of amazing results in the threads that I've read. I'm going to try her next, the shred workouts are only like 20mins long, so easy to commit to. Also, look up circuit training exercises, they really help tone and tighten while getting a good burn in, and you can do them in front of the tv.
    Cutting out sweets is a big problem for me, but I found that keeping a bag of hershey dark kisses in the fridge is a great way to get an emergency fix (they're only 20cals each).
    I'm sure you'll do great and look amazing on your big day!
  • wins1219
    wins1219 Posts: 17 Member
    Congratulations! I can definitely identify with you. I am getting married November 2014 so I'm working diligently to lose weight and tone! I’ve noticed quite a bit of progress from lifting weights so I could definitely recommend it! I also love doing the Blogilates on Youtube. They’re a lot of fun and the lady is super motivating. Good luck!
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    I am so happy to see you don't have a set number of pounds you want to lose. Maybe you do have a number in mind but you didn't share so I am going to assume your number one goal is to be healthy and make a permanent lifestyle change so the number isn't your goal your being healthier is the goal. Please tell me I am spot on, cuz I love to be right.

    So, all I have to add is a couple things:

    1. Track your food. It's easy to go over calories by just a couple hundred and it's easy to over estimate how many calories you burn. But, if you track it's easier to see where you have maybe gone over and where maybe the calorie burn estimate was too high, like oh you round up a couple minutes everyday and then it's like oops.

    2. Don't let your deficit get too large, it will make it much harder in the long run to lose.

    3. You got this.
  • doligurl
    doligurl Posts: 5 Member
    My biggest problem is just making myself eat. I'm going to be honest -- the 80 pounds I lost basically came off because I wasn't eating much. I was drinking water like crazy, so I just wasn't hungry. I did pretty much completely cut out all sweets...I rarely had anything sweet, and sweets are my biggest temptation. Definitely sweet tooth. I know that this is the reason why I've plateau'd and why I've gained a bit of it back, so I'm trying to make SMARTER decisions this time around.

    I do not eat breakfast -- I've never been a breakfast eater and I just don't know if I can make myself eat breakfast. I am making myself eat something for lunch now, however, and trying to get back into drinking water constantly and not eating sweets. I falter sometimes, but I'm doing better than I was.

    I've started walking laps around the parking lot at work during my first break of the day...it's only about 15 minutes, but it's 15 minutes more than I WAS getting. Trying to just...MOVE more often.

    I had a pretty upsetting incident at the end of a date with my fiance on Tuesday night. He took me to dinner and afterwards, we just went running around town, just to spend some extra time together. (We live 1.5 hours apart at the moment, so we meet in places that are halfway between us - Oak Ridge and Knoxville, usually). Anyway, at the end of the night, he took me back to the restaurant to get my car and as we were saying our goodbyes (ie hugging and kissing in the parking lot :-P ), this car drove by and this young girl screamed out the window "She's too fat for you!" and then kept driving. Needless to say, I've been REALLY upset ever since in happened. I'm going to try and use it as motivation to lose more weight, but I know I can't just WILL myself to lose the weight.
  • FitCanuckChick
    FitCanuckChick Posts: 240 Member
    My biggest problem is just making myself eat. I'm going to be honest -- the 80 pounds I lost basically came off because I wasn't eating much. I was drinking water like crazy, so I just wasn't hungry. I did pretty much completely cut out all sweets...I rarely had anything sweet, and sweets are my biggest temptation. Definitely sweet tooth. I know that this is the reason why I've plateau'd and why I've gained a bit of it back, so I'm trying to make SMARTER decisions this time around.

    I do not eat breakfast -- I've never been a breakfast eater and I just don't know if I can make myself eat breakfast. I am making myself eat something for lunch now, however, and trying to get back into drinking water constantly and not eating sweets. I falter sometimes, but I'm doing better than I was.

    I've started walking laps around the parking lot at work during my first break of the day...it's only about 15 minutes, but it's 15 minutes more than I WAS getting. Trying to just...MOVE more often.

    I had a pretty upsetting incident at the end of a date with my fiance on Tuesday night. He took me to dinner and afterwards, we just went running around town, just to spend some extra time together. (We live 1.5 hours apart at the moment, so we meet in places that are halfway between us - Oak Ridge and Knoxville, usually). Anyway, at the end of the night, he took me back to the restaurant to get my car and as we were saying our goodbyes (ie hugging and kissing in the parking lot :-P ), this car drove by and this young girl screamed out the window "She's too fat for you!" and then kept driving. Needless to say, I've been REALLY upset ever since in happened. I'm going to try and use it as motivation to lose more weight, but I know I can't just WILL myself to lose the weight.