Bride-to-be nutrition plan
Lose weight for your big day with these nutrition commandments!
To celebrate the release of Bridesmaids on DVD and Blu-ray on 14th November, we've got a fabulous bride-to-be diet for you. A healthy, balanced diet is important at all times, but in the run-up to a wedding, it's vital.
This New You Boot Camp programme will help to keep you mentally focused at a stressful time, and will also ensure that your stomach appears flatter and you lose weight and inches from your waist, stomach and hips. Note that your energy levels will be sky high and as an added bonus, your skin will be glowing too. What more can a bride ask for?
10 big-day nutrition commandments
1. Eat three balanced meals a day with two snacks - one in the morning and one in the afternoon to help balance your blood sugar levels
2. Try not to worry about counting calories - you are planning a wedding so you have other things to worry about. Instead be aware of your portion sizes. Use our New You Boot Camp portion size method.
3. A good self measurement is your own hand; your palm is your protein at each meal, your whole hand is your veg and fruit (at a ratio of 3 or 4 veg:1 fruit) at each meal, your closed fist is your carbohydrate at each meal, the circle made when the tip of your index finger touches the tip of your thumb is the quantity of fat that you MUST have at each meal. (The above 'hand measurement portion control system' is nature's way of giving you YOUR appropriate energy requirements for YOUR body.)
4. Try to cut down your wheat intake. If you usually eat a sandwich for lunch, swap to soups or a salad.
5. Change your dairy choice to yoghurt or non-cows milk cheese, such as feta or goats' cheese.
6. Restrict sugar, refined carbohydrates (cakes, biscuits, white bread, pastries etc) and caffeine because of the negative affects on blood sugar balance.
7. Try porridge for breakfast. It offers the ideal slow release energy as it has a low GI.
8. Drink lots of water! Try to drink at least 1-2 litres a day. As soon as you get up, have a glass of water, as soon as you get to work drink another, one mid morning, two with your lunch, one afternoon and two at night.
9. Reduce your alcohol intake and if you can, completely cut it out! It’s empty calories and you will see the benefits in no time at all with clearer skin and sparkly eyes. Plus it will help you get up in the morning to do those early morning training sessions!
10. Be prepared! Stock up on some portable foods. The number one reason that diets fail is because people eat on the run or get hungry when there is no healthy food available. Keep your desk drawer, car or locker stocked up with healthy nuts, seeds, dried fruit and some foil pouches or ring pull cans of tuna salmon/mackerel/sardines. Then whenever you can’t get healthy food you can make something nutritious, filling and healthy that will sustain you all day and is a million times better than a sandwich and packet of crisps from the vending machine.
Example daily menu
Breakfast: Porridge with low GL fruits such as blueberries, served with Oaty Milk and a spoon full of ground flaxseed
Mid Morning Snack:Kalo brown rice cakes/oat cakes with hummus
Lunch: Spanish Frittata served with Mediterranean salad tossed in walnut oil
Afternoon Snack: Spelt bread toasted with banana and sugar free crunchy peanut butter
Dinner: Salmon and sweet potato wedges served with watercress, tomato and spring onion salad
Supplied by New You, Europe's No.1 weight loss and fitness boot camp. For more help with losing weight before your big day, sign up to our online diet club now!
Bridesmaids is out on Blu-ray and DVD on Monday. (c) 2011 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
