Getting married, feeling blue

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amandabathory
amandabathory Posts: 5 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hello everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself and put my commitment to a healthier lifestyle in black and white, so there's absolutely no turning back. I AM in fact 'shredding for the wedding'. It's official. Oh lord.

I bought a sample wedding dress back in May, and don't really have any budget to get it altered next September, so it either fits me or I wear a white strap top underneath and thick veil to hide where the buttons don't do up - eek. Earlier this year, I was only two inches too big for the gown around the bust, so I was hopeful but now I'm not so sure. My situation and routine has changed dramatically in the past few months. I started a new job at a start-up company. I live in Bristol and the business is in Cardiff. I commute every day in the car, setting off a 6am and I don't get home until between 7-9. I don't take a lunch break because it's a typical young business, all hands on deck and it's crazy busy! Can't complain, it pays the bills and I absolutely love it, but it is taking a toll on my weight, skin, health and social life.

Anyway, that means my dinners have been so unhealthy because I'm too tired to cook. I'm eating well at lunchtime, normally scrambling eggs in the microwave and adding a bit of tomato and cucumber, but it hasn't stopped me piling on the pounds. I've gained around half a stone in under three months - horrifying, but when I look back to when I joined myfitnesspal in 2013, I weighed around 135lbs, and now I'm at 156lb. So, I need to straighten-up and fly right in order to fit in the wedding dress and inject a healthier routine. I only realised the situation was bad this weekend. It was my friend's birthday and absolutely NONE of my party dresses would do up. SO, I managed to squeeze into a jumpsuit (embarraasingly, it looks like pjs) and in all the photos my bully is protruding like I'm 6 months pregnant. What a disaster, I felt dreadful!

My plan is to do the 30 day shred to kick start and I did it this morning because I'm working from home, hooray. To give you some insight about my exercise preferences, I'm a keen but slow runner, but I find Bristol a bit frightening (I live near the downs) so more often than not, I do find running here a bit unpleasant (sorry Bristol runners, I know it's irrational, but my heart rate is up for all the wrong reasons in the dark). My bigger plan is to move to Cardiff in January, so at least then I'll have 1 hour walking every day at minimum. I did think of running in Cardiff, but the office has no shower and it's not in the city center, so going before work or at lunch time is a no-go.

Reaching out to all the driving commuters, all the career-a-holics, and all the ladies getting fit and healthy for their weddings - what are your routines? how do you fight the bad feelings? how do you make your boobs smaller? how do you justify a lunch break for exercise when everyone else is powering through? I know it sounds mad but I do solidly work 12 hours at the moment and remedy with lots of gin and crisps at the weekend - really it has to stop. Also, what's your skin care routine? I currently resemble a pork pie - mottled and wayne rooney-ish - it's not a good look!! Help me!!

Thank you for listening to my rant. I'm going to work SO hard now to make things right for my body and heart and I would love to hear your experiences and share your successes, if you want to buddy up :)

Thanks all,

Amanda

Replies

  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 346 Member
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    Dear Amanda,

    I feel your pain. Although it wasn't MY wedding, I had to lose about 20 pounds to get into a dress I had custom ordered. It was too small when it arrived and there wasn't any feasible way to do alterations. I too have a one hour commute (both ways) so I'm gone for at least 11 hours of the day. I'm in a hurry to get to work when I wake up so I can't fit in exercise then, and I'm too tired when I get home.

    Here's what I did. I packed my food for the day..... I don't eat breakfast early so I would bring a sandwich and a piece of fruit for mid morning.... Soup and salad for lunch.... fruit for mid afternoon snack... and something for dinner in case I ran late. I cut out mayonnaise and fatty salad dressings and made my own soups so they were low calorie. The biggest challenge was dinner but I found if I ate throughout the day, I wasn't so famished when the time rolled around and I could eat a light meal. I don't get home until about 7... and by the time I wind down, it's really too late to eat. I go to sleep around 9:30. So I'd either eat my dinner before I left work or just eat real light when I got home.

    Exercise: Just a 10-15 min "power walk" during my lunch hour and a quick walk when I got home before sinking into oblivion on the couch.

    It took concerted effort but it was worth it.......... I got into the dress!

    Good luck to you................ You have plenty of time to pull this off!
  • zebras1977
    zebras1977 Posts: 28 Member
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    Hi! My wedding was 10 years ago :p but I can relate to what you're saying. It's hard to find time for yourself when your job and commute is so demanding. Is there any opportunity for you to work remotely from home a couple of days per week? Failing that I would dedicate a couple of hours each Sunday planning food and preparing some meals for the week. Soups, curries, chillis or casseroles can be made ahead of time and frozen in portions for dinner when you get home. You could try those portioned rice packages for convenience too.
    I love Bristol, it's a fun city. I haven't been to Wales though. I'm not British but lived in London for many years.
    Good luck! <3
  • amandabathory
    amandabathory Posts: 5 Member
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    Thank you ladies - your thoughts really are a comfort and so supportive. I need to get on top of taking pre-prepared meals every day and not winding up at home famished in the evening. It's so difficult when you see yourself getting bigger and bigger, but not having any solutions :sweat:
    xxxx
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    I'm sure you know this, but weigh your food. :)
    good luck and I agree with what the other ladies said
  • Alioth
    Alioth Posts: 571 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as you. Getting married next spring/summer. I've gone from 138 to 157 lbs in a year and a half. I'm cheering for you!
  • vczK2t
    vczK2t Posts: 309 Member
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    i got married 10 years ago, and unfortunately made NO effort to be healthy. granted i didn't gain a LOT of weight, but i did barely fit into my dress. i was very uncomfortable the whole day. I look back and realized if i had done what i am now, intuitive/mindful eating, then i wouldn't have gained so much weight. I say, do what you can (pre-plan and pre-prepared meals and snacks for the week), go on 10-15 minute walks during lunch. do whatever you can manage and the weight will come off and you will feel better.
  • gebrown86
    gebrown86 Posts: 10 Member
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    Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding! I feel your pain, I am getting married in March and need to drop some weight. I just joined this app yesterday and need some friends on here for motivation! Add me and we can shred for the wed together!
  • glortard
    glortard Posts: 67 Member
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    Firstly good luck and a few suggestions.
    Ditch the gin for a month to kickstart yourself before the festive period gets into full swing. You will feel better and your skin should as well.
    Take a lunch break even if its just a 20-30 minute walk as you will feel better and more importantly your activities levels should rise. Taking care of yourself will pay benefits long term with regards to your career rather than sitting at your desk as people thinks its the done thing.
  • LahLahLeslie
    LahLahLeslie Posts: 8 Member
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    I'm getting married September 2016 too! I want to feel and look amazing in my dress. I'd like to lose 30lbs. Add me as a friend and let's help keep each other accountable!
  • avatiach
    avatiach Posts: 291 Member
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    My office is busy but some people take a 10-15 minute walk mid morning and mid afternoon, others walk at lunch. I figure the smokers take breaks so why not the non smokers?
  • SamiHearken
    SamiHearken Posts: 178 Member
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    I got married in June at the biggest I have ever been. I had a simple dress and ceremony so didn't care all too much about how big I was until I saw the photos! I wore really pretty FLAT grey oxfords that were amazing but my legs and ankles were freaking massive and unshapely!
    It was those photos that set me on the fitness route. My brothers wedding is 2 weeks away and I'm hoping to have lost 10kg by then (and to have some slight heels to help with the ankles)
  • fortheengagement
    fortheengagement Posts: 4 Member
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    I am getting married soonish as well and have 30 pounds to loose! Ahhh need encouragement and definitely someone to encourage on the way! We will do it amanda!! Good luck!
  • amandabathory
    amandabathory Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the lovely messages :) feeling so much positive now I know so many of us in the same boat. Losing weight can be quite an isolating experience sometimes. I've got your backs too! xxx
  • Maaike84
    Maaike84 Posts: 211 Member
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    also pushing to look as good as possible for my upcoming wedding, and with a very busy job and the upcoming holidays (plus overall winter coldness and darkness which makes me super unmotivated to get away from my comfy couch) I am also trying to put my nose down and just do it... We got this!! When are you getting married?
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    Rather than binging on crisps and gin at the weekend do the following:

    plan and make healthy lunches to take to work - there's a microwave so you can easily reheat soups, stews or just about anything.

    Also consider a light afternoon snack followed by a light supper - you get home lateish and are famished, so eat something before you drive home, then you'll be less likely to stuff yourself in the evening.

    Use your weekends to familiarise yourself with the less scary aspects of Bristol. There are hundreds of runners using the Downs, it's an ideal open space for it, and there are a number of running clubs you could join for motivation. Go to Ashton Court, go to Leigh Woods - all great places to be outside exercising and getting fit, even if it's getting colder now and the motivation is flagging. Bristol is said to be one of the friendliest cities, but the usual rules still apply in terms of safety.

    Don't work through lunch. Forget what everyone else does, it's not healthy, it's inefficient. Studies have PROVEN that people are more efficient if they take a lunch break - so go for a walk or SOMETHING that takes you away from your desk - it may not burn that many calories but it will have a positive effect on you making your more motivated later on.

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