Sheddin' for the Weddin'

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emkrichardson
emkrichardson Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
HELP! I'm getting married in October and I NEED to lose at least 20-30 lbs. The dress I ordered was snug when I tried the sample on in the store, but that's the size I ordered, so now I need to own up and lose the weight so I don't look like a stuffed sausage on my wedding day,

My fiance and I just started the Keto diet, and I'm hoping it'll jumpstart my weightloss at least a little bit. Anyone have any experience with it? I'm not one to count macros and all that, but I just generally try to avoid carbs and eat a lot of protein.

I have tried and failed MANY times to lose weight--I've been fat my whole life. But recently I saw the scale creep hauntingly close to 300 lbs, and I am NOT going to let that happen. I'm in need of major support and advice for a lazy dieter--lazy in that I don't think I should need a degree in calculus to be able to figure out what to eat every day. Exercise regime will follow, but for now I'm just trying to get my eating habits under control.
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Replies

  • perhapsormaybe
    perhapsormaybe Posts: 28 Member
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    I know nothing about the Keto diet, but I can offer support (I'm getting married in April but haven't bought the dress yet, partially in hopes I'll be smaller when I go next month to pick one out). You can certainly add me if you'd like a friend.
  • brycgiffith
    brycgiffith Posts: 7 Member
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    I'm shredding for my wedding in October too. My dad has been doing the keto diet and is having awesome results. He lost 32 pounds in two weeks. It just depends on the person using it. Make sure that you both stay hydrated as well. I wish the both of you the best of luck. Feel free to add me
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited January 2016
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    It's all about the calories.... no matter what diet you choose.
    High fiber and high (good) carbs really worked for me. Oatmeal, barley, beans, lentils, high fiber cereal, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, sweet potatoes. Lower Cholestrol diet.
    A food scale makes this place rock. Walmart and Target have them.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    emkrichardson wrote: »
    HELP! I'm getting married in October and I NEED to lose at least 20-30 lbs. The dress I ordered was snug when I tried the sample on in the store, but that's the size I ordered, so now I need to own up and lose the weight so I don't look like a stuffed sausage on my wedding day,

    My fiance and I just started the Keto diet, and I'm hoping it'll jumpstart my weightloss at least a little bit. Anyone have any experience with it? I'm not one to count macros and all that, but I just generally try to avoid carbs and eat a lot of protein.

    I have tried and failed MANY times to lose weight--I've been fat my whole life. But recently I saw the scale creep hauntingly close to 300 lbs, and I am NOT going to let that happen. I'm in need of major support and advice for a lazy dieter--lazy in that I don't think I should need a degree in calculus to be able to figure out what to eat every day. Exercise regime will follow, but for now I'm just trying to get my eating habits under control.

    A keto diet is one of many ways to achieve the calorie deficit required to lose weight. Are you already familiar with all this: http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/ketogenic-diet-plan.html ?

    @nvmomketo has had excellent success with keto and I've pinged her in case she wants to chime in.

    Another way to create a calorie deficit is to eat what you're currently eating, only less of it, maybe tweaking some things to focus on foods that keep you full, which for me is protein and fiber.
  • lrenae501
    lrenae501 Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm trying to lose 30 pounds for my wedding in October too!! I just started counting calories about two weeks ago and have lost 4ish pounds :smiley:
    I tried the keto diet before and it didn't work for me...I personally found it much more difficult than just counting my calories. But my brother does it and has had wonderful results! He loves it and lost tons of weight. Just gotta find what works for you!
    :smile:
  • speckles99
    speckles99 Posts: 10 Member
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    My wedding is coming up in December. Started tracking what I eat again and exercising everyday about 10 days ago. Even if it's just a walk, it's better than nothing. Down 4lbs so far in the 10 days but could use all the support I can get. Add me if you like
  • allenpriest
    allenpriest Posts: 1,102 Member
    edited January 2016
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    brycgiffith wrote: »
    I'm shredding for my wedding in October too. My dad has been doing the keto diet and is having awesome results. He lost 32 pounds in two weeks. It just depends on the person using it. Make sure that you both stay hydrated as well. I wish the both of you the best of luck. Feel free to add me

    That doesn't sound at all safe. 32 pounds in two weeks makes no sense.

    Unless perhaps he is 700 pounds. And medically supervised.
  • MarmiteToes
    MarmiteToes Posts: 20 Member
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    Good luck with your weight loss!

    As a fellow soon-to-be-bride (my wedding's in May) I would really recommend that you see if you can change your dress order to a size bigger. Bear in mind that the sample you tried was likely stretched out from other brides trying it on, so when your dress arrives it may be much more snug. The sample I tried on was loose, but when my dress arrived I could barely zip it. Weight loss can be a slow process, especially if you're doing it the "right" way like MFP advocates. Personally, I wouldn't willingly put that kind of pressure on myself. It's much easier to alter a dress down a size than it is to take it out a size. Just something to think about. The wedding can still be great motivation to lose weight even without the added pressure to squeeze into a dress that's too small.

    I'm currently in the crappy situation where I gained 10-15 pounds since I got my dress last year and now I'm frantically trying to lose enough weight to fit into my damn dress again. I don't have money in the budget for extensive alterations. I know I have no one to blame but myself, but now I have to spend the last few months of our engagement, which should be a happy time, cranky and stressed out from hunger and dieting. I really don't recommend it.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    How are you tracking your calorie deficit? Keto or no keto.
    It's about calories.

    Eating less, moving more, staying consistent.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Why not just buy a dress that fits?
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited January 2016
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    allenpriest wrote: »
    brycgiffith wrote: »
    I'm shredding for my wedding in October too. My dad has been doing the keto diet and is having awesome results. He lost 32 pounds in two weeks. It just depends on the person using it. Make sure that you both stay hydrated as well. I wish the both of you the best of luck. Feel free to add me

    That doesn't sound at all safe. 32 pounds in two weeks makes no sense.

    Unless perhaps he is 700 pounds. And medically supervised.

    16 lb a week! That definitely doesn't sound like a good idea or truthful.
  • BioQueen
    BioQueen Posts: 694 Member
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    Hi! And congrats! I got married this past July and I lost my last 25 pounds for the wedding (50 total). I'll just say that the important thing, besides looking your best for the wedding, is that you want it to be sustainable so you can continue AFTER the wedding. I honestly went too aggressive for my wedding and put on about 15 pounds after my wedding because it was SO aggressive. I am back at it now but now but I'm losing a little more slowly and if I'm hungry I eat. The last thing I wanted was to rebound after the wedding. Fortunately I caught it and I am back moving towards my UGW (I as only 5 pounds away from it for my wedding, now I am 15). So I would personally work on sustainable habits vs. trying "diets" unless they -absolutely- work for you and you can do them forever (I personally can't).

    You can do it! But remember the wedding is going to be a happy day no matter what :smile:

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    DavPul wrote: »
    Why not just buy a dress that fits?

    thats what i say every single time this subject comes up.

    its much easier to take a dress in if you lose weight, than torture yourself with sometimes unrealistic goals.

    but what do i know....
  • BioQueen
    BioQueen Posts: 694 Member
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    I ended up getting a dress size 10-12 and ended up getting it tailored down to a 4-6 by the end. I am SO glad I bought the 10-12 vs anything smaller. I had 0 pressure to fit into anything and then I could make it fit like a glove.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited January 2016
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    emkrichardson wrote: »
    HELP! I'm getting married in October and I NEED to lose at least 20-30 lbs. The dress I ordered was snug when I tried the sample on in the store, but that's the size I ordered, so now I need to own up and lose the weight so I don't look like a stuffed sausage on my wedding day,

    My fiance and I just started the Keto diet, and I'm hoping it'll jumpstart my weightloss at least a little bit. Anyone have any experience with it? I'm not one to count macros and all that, but I just generally try to avoid carbs and eat a lot of protein.

    I have tried and failed MANY times to lose weight--I've been fat my whole life. But recently I saw the scale creep hauntingly close to 300 lbs, and I am NOT going to let that happen. I'm in need of major support and advice for a lazy dieter--lazy in that I don't think I should need a degree in calculus to be able to figure out what to eat every day. Exercise regime will follow, but for now I'm just trying to get my eating habits under control.

    A keto diet is one of many ways to achieve the calorie deficit required to lose weight. Are you already familiar with all this: http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/ketogenic-diet-plan.html ?

    @nvmomketo has had excellent success with keto and I've pinged her in case she wants to chime in.

    Another way to create a calorie deficit is to eat what you're currently eating, only less of it, maybe tweaking some things to focus on foods that keep you full, which for me is protein and fiber.

    Thanks. :)

    A ketogenic diet can be a very good tool for weight loss especially if you have some sort of insulin resistance (PCOS, type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, NAFLD, etc) as those people may lose a bit faster and easier on a very low carb diet. I chose a ketogenic diet because I developed prediabetes, has some joint pain I hoped to improve, and also because I was horrible at moderating my sweets - when I tried I gained weight! Lol

    There are many in the Low Carber Daily or keto groups who are very low carb too. I would guess that the majority of them are still counting calories, especially if they are in the first few months of eating very low carb. Come join the group. There is a lot of knowledge and success there.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

    I started keto in late June. My caloric goal was set for 1420 kcal per day with 5% carbs (~20g), 20% protein (~70g), and 75% fat (~110g). My calories varied quite a bit each day. Some days were just a 1000kcals whereas others were over 2000kcal, but it averaged out to 1500 kcal per day in the first 4 months. During that time I lost about 35 lbs which was happily faster than I expected. My kcals are now closer to 2000 on most days but I am still losing inches and I have lost more weight so I am now a size 8 (I'm now a 150lb, 5'8" middle aged mom who started at size 16/14 and 190lbs). I am just starting to exercise now that I am in a normal BMI.

    Use a macro calculator to figure out what you should be eating. http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    Many on keto find keeping total carbs below 20g at first is helpful. It gets rid of cravings (for most) quickly and appetite usually falls. Often people add back some carbs as time goes on so they can enjoy more veggies and fruit. I tried adding back carbs a while back but found my fasting blood glucose can't handle carbs much higher than 20g per day - maybe some day. Anyways, there are some who maintain ketosis with carbs as high as 50g or more, but those people tend to be more active, fit, and time their carbs around exercise so it is burned off. Those with IR or a lt to lose seem to keep carbs lower.

    Many switch to net carbs (total carbs - fibre) but net carbs are kept lower than total carbs would be.

    To keep it simple and nutritious, most keto'ers eat non starchy veggies with occasional low GI fruits like berries. Keto'ers tend to skip baked goods (breads, muffins, cakes, crackers, cookies, oatmeal, etc), grains (corn, rice, quinoa, barley), sugar added foods (soda, candy, normal desserts), starchy veggies (potatoes - chips, fries, mashed; and other root veggies) but we might have a very small amount (ex. A 1/4c of carrot and turnip mash rather than a heaping serving). Fruits with lots of sugar are usually skipped; those tend to be tropical fruits like bananas, dates, or mangos, or dried fruits like raisins, or grapes. Berries have the least sugar.

    Good luck. Hope to see you at the Low Carber Daily. :)
  • MlleKelly
    MlleKelly Posts: 356 Member
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    I used the Fat Smash diet to lose almost 25lbs in 5 months for my wedding. Of course, I gained about 15 of that back in the last two years of newlywed bliss :) So now I'm back on the Fat SMASH! The book is $12 on Amazon and it's a really great way to build healthy eating and exercising habits. There's a 9-day "Detox" that's basically just clean, fresh, whole foods with 30 minutes of cardo 5x a week, then a 3-week "Foundation" where you start adding in more foods, such as lean meats and healthy fats, a 4-week "Construction" to add in more, such as whole grains, whole eggs, moderate desserts and alcohol, then the "Temple" phases, which is basically just maintenance.

    Husband and I started on January 4. I've lost 7lbs, he's lost 9lbs. Those first few were most likely water weight from eating so much and so crappily over the holidays, but I can definitely tell that I'm not bloated, I have more energy, my clothes are looser, etc.

    I went on this diet in college and I went from 226lbs to around 190s over about 6 months. I'd go back to the Detox phase when I hit a plateau. After 9 days, if I lost what I wanted, I'd go right back to the Temple. If not, I'd move into the Foundation until I did. I have NEVER gained back any of what I lost originally. The biggest I've been since was 186lbs...the January before my wedding in 2014! I started this January at 180.5 and this morning I am 173.1. My goal is to get down 160 or under by Spring Break in April, then around 150 by the end of June for my trip to Europe.

    I highly recommend the Fat SMASH. There's an Extreme version that I used for the couple of months before my wedding, but it's just that...EXTREME! After it's over, it's hard to keep all of the weight off. Since the original Fat SMASH is progressive, it's more gentle on your system and easier to stick to.

    Good luck, and congratulations!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    DavPul wrote: »
    Why not just buy a dress that fits?

    Do you know women? @DavPul :bigsmile:
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
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    DavPul wrote: »
    Why not just buy a dress that fits?

    i never understand this either
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    You've got till October

    Hit your calorie defecit however you choose to...if its keto that works for you, great...it's not the only way

    Move more

    Follow a progressive resistance programme

    Commit
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,052 Member
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    Love the title of this thread! Congrats to you and all the other brides- and grooms-to-be! October will be a popular month! You have plenty of time and you can do it. Love BioQueen's comments about keeping it off after the wedding, too. The slower you go, the closer your pattern of eating will be to maintenance and the easier the transition to maintenance will be. Best wishes!

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