Worried about dress fittings- help

Leenie10

Hi all,
Let me start by saying that I know there is a section on here for Getting Fit, but I wanted to put this here so I might hear from other November brides.
Now that our wedding is slightly more than 6 months away (11/10/12) I'm more preoccupied with concerns related to my weight. I've never had weight issues until the last couple of years, since my metabolism slowed down (partly age & possibly medication contributing to weight gain). My dress has not come in yet and I was told it will probably come in August. This is very exciting, but at the same time makes me feel like I have just a few months to lose weight. I'm trying to watch what I eat and workout but having trouble staying motivated. This is not really a matter of whether it will fit onto me (it has a corset back) but I want it to look not just okay but fabulous. My fear is completely counter-productive and if I'm not careful I might actually gain more weight!!  
Are you worried about how your dress will look? Any advice to overcome the anxiety???

lls31

I work out regularly, although I must say that I've also had some trouble with motivation lately.  Work has been stressful lately and I've just been very burnt out.  I haven't been working out or eating well for the past 2 weeks, but I'm pushing myself to get back in the groove by Monday.

Try not to stress too much about it.  Stress can actually cause weight gain in some cases.  When I was at a point that I needed to lose a bit of weight, this is what worked for me... I cut out soda and beer.  I ate a lot of chicken, oatmeal, veggies, fruits, and salads (although be careful with salads - dressings can be the devil!).  No fried foods and no fast foods.  And I worked out a LOT.  I probably worked out more than I should have and I obsessed over it, but I was at the gym 6 days a week for at least an hour per day, sometimes two hours.  

It sounds like you're on the right track with watching what you eat and working out.  Just stick with it.  This may sound silly, but for my motivation, I'm planning on hanging a photo on my mirror of myself in a bikini from last summer - basically as a reminder to keep up the good work.  I'm at a point where I don't need to lose any weight, but I need to stay motivated to maintain.  Like you, my metabolism has slowed with age and I gain weight so much easier now than when I was 20.

Good luck!

Leenie10

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_november-2012-weddings_worried-about-dress-fittings-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:46c2f53c-680c-4532-aa96-4cca92890b59Discussion:d57e5a66-6f3a-4a22-a023-107c0b9f035dPost:a50e48ef-20e8-414b-a804-c96040a63c68">Re: Worried about dress fittings- help</a>:
[QUOTE]I work out regularly, although I must say that I've also had some trouble with motivation lately.  Work has been stressful lately and I've just been very burnt out.  I haven't been working out or eating well for the past 2 weeks, but I'm pushing myself to get back in the groove by Monday. Try not to stress too much about it.  Stress can actually cause weight gain in some cases.  When I was at a point that I needed to lose a bit of weight, this is what worked for me... I cut out soda and beer.  I ate a lot of chicken, oatmeal, veggies, fruits, and salads (although be careful with salads - dressings can be the devil!).  No fried foods and no fast foods.  And I worked out a LOT.  I probably worked out more than I should have and I obsessed over it, but I was at the gym 6 days a week for at least an hour per day, sometimes two hours.   It sounds like you're on the right track with watching what you eat and working out.  Just stick with it.  This may sound silly, but for my motivation, I'm planning on hanging a photo on my mirror of myself in a bikini from last summer - basically as a reminder to keep up the good work.  I'm at a point where I don't need to lose any weight, but I need to stay motivated to maintain.  Like you, my metabolism has slowed with age and I gain weight so much easier now than when I was 20. Good luck!
Posted by lls31[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your advice. I have a question regarding soda. I rarely drink regular soda (an occasional ginger ale)  but~ I do drink Diet Coke almost daily. Do you think that has to go as well???  Thank you!

lls31

Diet soda is better for you as far as calories go, but I've read articles that said it's not particularly healthy due to the artificial sweeteners.  If I were you, I would Google it or see if you can get information from other Knotties.  I never drank diet soda, so I don't really know too much about it.

You may not need to cut out soda.  I had to because I drank a LOT of it.  I could finish off an entire cube of Mountain Dew in a week by myself.  

Also, drink as much water as you can.  I always thought that was a bunch of BS, but it truly helps.  

PhishGirl

Diet soda is absolutely horrible for you, given how many artificial elements are included.  You're better off avoiding soda completely, as opposed to drinking diet soda.

rachel10488

My best advice is to work on little things in your diet at a time but don't overwhelm yourself. I've struggled with eating disorders most of my life and because of that I now have the metabolism of an 85 year old woman. The year before I got engaged, being in a healthy mindset but not watching what I ate carefully, I gained 25lbs. Since we've been engaged I've been working on healthfully losing weight slowly, purposely so that I don't stress myself out like you mentioned. So far I'm down 11lbs, my goal was to be down 17lbs by the time I dress shop (which is next week haha so might not quite make it). But definitely work on things like, if you're going to cut soda and diet soda in general, don't deprive yourself. Maybe try going from 3 diet sodas a day to 1...over time try to get to one a week. The same with any junk food or fatting stuff. I try to eat low fat and healthy everyday, but if I feel like I REALLY want ice cream, then I go get some. Because stressing and because you won't reach your goals if you have ONE bowl of ice cream is only going to do more harm then good.

Also, the gym has helped A LOT! I've never worked out worked out in my entire life, always been a runner. FI and I hired a trainer to teach us how to work out on our own and this has worked wonders for the both of us. I TRY for 3 days of lifting + cardio and 3 extra days of just cardio. The motivation is hard as crap but we try to keep each other going and this has been huge for us. Diet and excercise go hand in hand. If you do one, it make the other so much easier.

ashl_bee

When I was cutting soda from my diet, I went with plain sparkling water with fruit in it as an in between. It has the flavor without artifical sugars and artifical flavors. Now I am primarily regular filtered water all of the time. Staying properly hydrated is a big part of losing weight.

ktsann

I completely agree that its hard to stay motivated but whenever you think of not working out, look down at your ring finger and remember why you are doing it! Thats what I do

I also did weight watchers and its easy and it works, I lost 40 pounds. I now stopped paying for weight watchers but follow it and see a personal trainer. I have lost three inches off my waist in 3 weeks. I am pretty happy with the results but just have to keep chugging along!

librababy

I hate diets.  That said, I try to eat as healthfully as I can and exercise as often as I can.  I don't obsess because if I do, I over do it.  Last year I lost so much weight people were worried.  Now I am at a good weight and I really should not lose anymore weight but I am working on maybe losing 10 lbs, gaining a little musle and toning up.  But my motivation is shot these days. LOL.   I do try to jog or power walk at least 3 times a day but I don't stress about it. 

Leenie10

Thank you everyone for your great input.

Diet soda has just become a bad habit for me. I have 1 and sometimes 2 cans a day but as ashl_bee suggested I can move to sparkling water. I also feel like the (fake) sweet taste of diet coke makes me crave sugar ~ could be all in my head, since I have a vicious sweet tooth anyway. Ktsann I also am trying to follow WW and it is very encouraging to know that you lost 40 lbs with it!! Good for you.
I feel that I turned a corner this weekend and was able to say no sweets which is a challenge for me and drank a lot more water. I also did cardio and weights and feel good about it.

Thanks all : )

lacey3eb

It's a stressful time at work for me and I've been eating a lot of crap lately.  I'm working on eating healthier and sensible portions as well as getting back into more regular exercising.  I got into running this past fall and winter, ran 2 half-marathons, but I'm looking for something less boring than running---I just didn't learn to love it like I hoped I would.  I'm tried level one of the 30 day shred today and felt like it was a really great workout and so I plan to do that or another form of exercise 3-5 times per week now until the wedding.  I work in a school so regular exercise is much easier for me in the summer when I am off.  I think weight watchers is great for getting you into good eating habits and find a type of exercise you enjoy and switch it up when you get bored.  Definitely give up the diet soda!  Soda, diet or not, is so addicting and so, so bad for your body.  Good luck!