The perfect bridal body of your dreams seems impossible to get so close to your wedding date? Fear not. We’ve got your back. We’ve spoken to our go-to dietician Suman Agarwal on your behalf. Ms. Agarwal has positively influenced the health of thousands of people from all walks of life, from doyens of industry and Bollywood stars to ordinary folk.
As Ms Agarwal says, “Most brides are on a mission to slim down, tone up and eat right to look their absolute best on their big day and I want to help them do that in a healthy and correct way.”
She knows that the stress that sometimes accompanies their desire to lose excess kilos means that many of them go on crash diets or use dangerous and untested diet pills. “The goal is to look fit and fabulous but young women must go about it properly.”
Ms Agarwal explains that nutrition is nothing but a simple balance between three main nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. “Crash dieting is the worst thing you can do in the run up to the wedding because it lowers the metabolism and you end up gaining all the lost weight in no time.”
Read on to get a failproof 30-day selfcare weight-loss regime for the bride-to-be. It will help you lose the needed inches, build your immunity and bring a glow to your skin and hair, without starving you.
THE CLASSIC WEIGHT-LOSS DIET PLAN
The diet should be broken down as breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. This is the most important phase as it ensures supreme weight-loss.
Breakfast Options
Muesli + Curd / Egg whites + Toast / Milk + Whole Wheat Bran (Flakes) / Upma/ poha + Curd
Lunch Options
Roti / Rice / bread
+ Dal / pulse / chicken / fish
+Vegetables / stir-fry / clear soup / freshly-cut salad
+ Curd / buttermilk / raita / yogurt
Evening Snack Options
Green Tea / English Tea / Coffee (from skimmed milk) + Roasted chana / cooked sprouts / chickpea salad
Dinner Options
Dal/ moong-dal chilla/ chickpeas / kidney beans/ chicken / fish / egg whites + Vegetables / stir-fry / clear soup / freshly-cut salad + Curd / buttermilk / raita / yogurt
Note: It is necessary to consume a light snack in the evenings, as you are most hungry at that time. This helps in maintaining your energy levels as the day starts coming to an end. If one skips this meal then one ends up eating double the quantity at dinner.
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Beauty Book: What to eat between meals if you’re hungry?
Suman Agarwal: “Keep a fruit handy to eat around mid-morning or when you’re out shopping. A fruit provide you with sufficient energy to function smoothly. Pair this with a glass of buttermilk for optimum nutrition. Avoid fruit juices as they are rich in fructose and only add kilos to your belly. However, avoid consuming more than one or two fruits daily.
It’s crucial that any milk/ yogurt/ curd should be skimmed (0 – 1% fat). Yoghurt is pro-biotic. It aids in digestion and helps to give you a glowing and flawless complexion. It also contains calcium. A calcium deficiency can hamper weight loss.”
BB: Should we continue this diet for all the 30-days?
SA: “You may include a portion of carbs at snack time after the first 10 days of dieting. This could be in the form of 3 – 4 biscuits / a portion of kurmura / 2 cookies or digestives / 1 slice of bread. The rest of the diet should be the same as laid out. Post the first 20 days, you may consume carbs for dinner as well, by adding a portion of rice/roti/bread with this meal. You should also add one tablespoon of whey protein powder (in water) to maintain your immunity and strength during this period. Now you may also switch from skimmed milk to regular cow’s milk. If you wish to lose more weight then you may occasionally skip carbs for dinner.”
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BB: How to understand portion control?
SA: “I have not specified the portions/ quantities of the listed foods above because the quantity varies depending on your individual weight, age, bone structure and other factors. However, the general guideline is that for weight-loss you should eat enough to satisfy 70-75% of your hunger. Never leave the table feeling full. Drink lots of water during the day to keep your hunger at bay.”
BB: Any tips to make your skin glow?
SA: “Start the day by drinking a glass of warm water with lime and honey on an empty stomach. Drink a glass of coconut water around mid-morning. This is a natural detox and flushes toxins from the body. Eat an orange daily. Drink green tea because it’s loaded with antioxidants, essential for a glowing skin. Exercise every day and get adequate sleep: A bride needs an average of seven to eight hours of sleep daily to look healthy and fresh in the run up to the wedding.”
BB: Is exercise necessary? What kind of exercise should a bride follow?
SA: “Many brides prefer dieting more than necessary so that they don’t have to exercise. This is not advisable and it’s far healthier and more effective if you fit some exercise into your daily routine. Do whatever works for you. It could be as simple as walking for four km every day to joining a gym. Whatever your preference, make sure you do one hour of low intensity activity like brisk walking daily.”
BB: Should you add any supplements to your diet?
SA: “I always advise brides to start a multivitamin pill and a vitamin C supplement. These work as a support system when the bride has to deal with high levels of stress and multiple things. Also include a daily capsule of primrose oil for glowing skin and a CoQ10 supplement to boost energy levels.”
