Please help me be a beautiful bride!

Dolly<3

If you are short on time try to turn your day to day events into exercise. Like turn the housework into an exercise, pop some music on and dance like crazy whilst doing the hoovering, use cans of beans to do some arm exercises, you can also buy some ankle weights that strap round your ankles so that when you go out for a daily walk you are pushing yourself that little bit more. It might not get drastic effects, but its all exercise and it will make a difference and fits into your daily routine.

Also make sure you drink lots of water, 2 litres a day, will help with weight loss and help cut down bloating.

This might all sound like silly advice but when I was a student and very poor, all these little things used to help.

Also I agree the diet thread on here is fab, its always helpful to have some encouragement.

xxxx

zcrat41

Hi,

I can't recommend Weight Watchers enough. I got married 5 weeks ago (can't stop lurking on here!!) and lost over 6 stone in all with WW.

If you want to see my story I'm actually featured in this months magazine!!

You can do it, if you've the motivation and it sounds like you have (I'm the farmer in the orange dreass!)

good luck

hock79

I have really bad will power when it comes to diets, and I'm lazy when it comes to exercise too. The thing that I find works for me is quite simple really, portion control. I eat as healthy as I can during the day, not too many snacks, I allow myself a little bit of chocolate each day, then have a normal dinner (which makes life much easier for feeding the OH), but just a tea plate size portion. I don't count calories although I have done before, and I know I'm getting about the right amount.

Then I do 15mins of yoga everyday, using this dvd: Barbara Currie - only £3.49! You can feel it working your muscles, and it's only 15 mins so it's easy to fit in, as it's pretty easy going and relaxing you're less likely to put it off! Doing this I can lose 1-2 pounds per week, which is pretty good. You still need a bit of cardio, try and get a bit of a pace when you're pushing the buggy!

I tried the 30 day shred but it was too much like hard work for me and so I couldn't stick to it. I may join WW nearer to my wedding, but for now this routine is working for me. It may help that I've been practising yoga for years and been to many classes so I know what I'm doing. It's a very good dvd though, even for beginners I think.

So that's my lazy way of dieting, hope it helps someone

Oh, for make-up, I second Bare Minerals/Lily Lolo. If you have a department store with a Bare Escentuals counter near you, pop in for a make-over. If your skin care needs a reboot, could you stretch to getting a facial to start the ball rolling?

becs

I'd definitely recommend slimming world, particularly if you cook rather than eat ready meals. The extra easy cookbook is fab and has loads of easy tasty normal food. I've lost 3 1/2 stone and to be honest for the first 3 stone I honestly felt it was a complete fluke. I felt I hadn't changed my eating habits at all really just a tiny tweak here and there. I also started doing a couple of aqua fit classes a week which I find easy and really good fun so I look forward to them.
I've seen some places around where they're doing the mums and babies exercise classes where you're using the pram and baby to help with some o th exercises. Could be fun and you would meet lots of other mum in the same boat.Something like this?
http://www.pushymothers.com/

Scotsbride

I would recommend rather than dropping snacks completely switching to nuts, fruit carrots stcks etc rather than chocolate and crisps.

TheSeventh

in terms of skincare - try a trip to Lush and give their face masks, cleansers and moisturisers a go. they're really good and pretty affordable.

my skin was really greasy and spotty, but Lush's Fresh Farmacy cleanser and "Fat free" moisturiser totally cleared it up in a couple of months.

At the bare minimum, just make sure you remove makeup (i use baby wipes! they're cheap!) every day, wash with a mild soap and put on a little bit of nivea or vaseline lotion (just to stop your skin feeling tight after the soap) and of course: drink lots and lots of water!

sandraann

The titanium dioxide in mineral make up can give you a really pale, ghostly effect when flash is used. Maybe you could look into other options, most wedding photographers don't recommend it

codemonkey

Aww, I could have written this. Well, not the bit about the baby, but anyway...

Come and join us on the diet thread.

I use Estee Lauder double wear foundation. It is pretty expensive but the coverage is great, you don't use much so a bottle lasts ages, and even on my oilslick areas, it doesn't slide off.

As for exercise, things like going out for long walks with the wee one in the buggy, lift him up and down like a weight ( not too hard and make a game out of it for him by going whee otherwise he's going to think mummy is a weirdo)

double_mummy

if you want something lovely for your skin try liz earle

excellent for sensitive skin and people with dry skin eczema and psoriasis (runs in the family dont you just love presents from your parents lol)

does last forever as you only need a tiny bit http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.228117.cm_scid.KeywordSearch

baby exercises are the best as well

hold him out from your chest and lift him up and down slowly (helps arms) sit him in a boucer/ chair at your feet and just slightly tense ur stomach so you can see him (belly) put him at the bottom of the stairs (safely) and then wander up and down getting faster as u get fitter while making dinner or waiting for the kettle to boil do lunges or squats

join a baby wandering group as was already suggested also find somewhere local and nice like a park and try and do a lap or 2 of it every couple of days and then increase the amount maybe even upping it to a jog

even something like shopping can be exercise walk once around the store first and then do your shop

just add in little bits of exercise here and there and then you can notice a difference quite quickly and your not doing a formal exercise time you are just having fun with the little man

VICSH

Wow I could have written this thread a year ago my son is 22 months now and I lost a lot of confidence after I had him! This is what I have changed and the results have been amazingf but slow and steady!
Diet:
1) Really look at what you eat keep a diary for a week and write down everything then analyse it, for me evening snacking on choclate and during the day when my son was asleep I would snack on BAD stuff. It helped me realise jsut not to buy any chocolate/ biscuits when I go shopping my local shop is a mile walk away so if I really want something sweet I have to walk to get it
2) portion control I have a smaller plate than H2B we have exactly the same meals but my plate is 1/3 of the size. I by a rule have 1/2 plate of veg or salad, 1/4 protein and 1/4 carbs
3) I meal plan everything and eat mt 5 a day

Exercise
1) having a young child can be so hard to fit in exercise I started off and continue to work out in the morning, my son would wake up at 7 and I would get up at 6 do a 40 minute workout followed by shower and still be ready to make breakfast, get us ready for nursery and work. I find I have more energy during the day and sleep better at night
2) I swear by evercise DVD I have so many but really dramatic changes have been from Hannah waterman and 30 day shred. The 30DS is up there is it is so hard but only 20 minutes so I can get 30 minutes more in bed!
Make up
1) try a primer (no 17 do a cheap one for about £5) it has changed they way my make up stays on and gives a great base
2) I use Max factor long lasting foundation I have done for uears I love it
3) I also swear by max factor mascara they make my look like I have false lashes and it doesnt smudge

Good luck I am sure you will look radiant on your day as beauty comes from within and you will be so happy anyway....