love my dress, but it looks like crap on me!

ap517

i went in for the fitting 3 weeks ago with the spanx and it looked like crap.  the dress (bias cut) is gorgeous, but I have this stomach pooch that just won't go away.  i watch my diet, do crunches, exercise 45/min/day, lifting weights 2-3x/week, and I'm just so upset!  when I went in for the fitting 2 and 5 months ago it looked good WITHOUT the spanx.  and now it looks so bad and I feel like my stomach is sticking out more even though the scale says i've lost 5lbs in the last 5 months and i'm only a pound or two away from my goal weight.  arg!  wedding is 12 days away.  unfortunately, i don't have any pictures to share.  my mom and others say it looks fine, that it's normal for women to have a pooch, etc. but i feel like people will say, oh she shouldn't wear that type of dress for her figure.  i'm drinking water like crazy, possibly gonna do the south beach diet, and who knows what else.  i'm sure stress, and poor sleep isn't helping with the pooch, either.  but i'm as stressed now as i was a few months ago, so i just don't know what to do!   any words of wisdom or support?

vannymuse

Stay from carbonated beverages and salty foods, if you aren't doing so already.

Have you been to the Getting in Shape board here on TK?  They can probably offer additional advice and encouragement.

Good luck, I'm sure you will look great on your wedding day no matter what!

jenn.daniel

Depending on the time of the month, I'll have a little extra pooch.  I think in a week you'll look like you did when you had the dress on before.

MsBunny312

If the dress looked better without the spanx, perhaps you should go sans spanx. Part of the appeal of bias cut fabric is that it looks best on a woman with curves, since it hugs them beautifully. So embrace your curves!

I know that it is stressful in the days before your wedding, but don't push your body to do inhuman things. We have so much pressure on us to look absolutely perfect on our wedding day and it is an impossible ideal. Your fiance wants to marry you, not an impossibly "perfect" version of yourself. I'm highly confident that you will be beautiful regardless of your size. The joy on your face throughout the day will make sure of that.

And screw the haters! Anyone who judges the bride on her wedding day regarding her body has a special place reserved in wedding hell.

opalsky007

Just a thought: I know you're working out already, but some ab exercises can actually make the abs larger instead of slimming them down. Try Pilates! Be sure to focus especially on breathing properly and on pulling your belly button toward your spine while doing the exercises. Here are some Pilates ab exercises with detailed instructions:

http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesmat/ss/FlatAbSeries.htm

I also agree with PP about cutting out carbonation and watching your salt. Making sure you get plenty of fiber can also prevent bloating. Good luck!

ap517

thanks for your suggestions, especially MsBunny.  I don't drink carbonated beverages, and I try to limit salt.  I'm a nurse, so I spend all day coaching people with heart failure and low sodium diet, so I've always watched my Na.   but I'm thinking I'll just go without spanx.  they kinda consolidate all my "fat" into one little oblong ball that pooches out, instead of just resting on my stomach naturally.