Wedding Season: How not to gain weight


It’s wedding season. Not that going to a wedding means you can forget about all your clean eating habits and gorge to celebrate, but it’s definitely a challenge to stick to your routine when others have a say in what ends up on your plate. New Beauty Magazine interviewed me for tips on how to keep it together during wedding season: 

Wedding Season: How to Not Gain Weight

Credit: Thinkstock

It’s officially wedding season! While we can’t wait to let loose and celebrate with our friends and family, we’re not looking forward to what the wedding cakes and open bars will do to our waistlines, especially those of us on a diet. Luckily, there’s still a way to partake in the merriment without sacrificing your figure. 
When it comes to eating…Let’s be honest, when we’re at a wedding we want to be able to fully celebrate the occasion and indulge in the food served. But to keep your figure, they key is to eat a low-carb diet that’s high in vegetables a few days before the wedding. “That way, when you eat starches and sugar at the reception you will need very little to feel full,” says New York personal trainer, nutritionist and founder of the Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp Ariane Hundt. Then, eat a low-carb diet for the next few days after the wedding too.
“As a general rule, make sure that for every high-carbohydrate meal you eat, you eat at least two clean meals that include only veggies and protein because you want to burn off the overload of sugar and carbs,” says Hundt. 
Another insider secret is to rev up your metabolism with a good workout prior to an indulgent meal. “This will create a greater metabolic demand and may use some of those extra calories in a positive way,” says UFC FIT fitness and nutrition expert Mike Dolce. 
When it comes to drinking…We know that alcoholic beverages aren’t the best for our waistlines, but it’s hard to resist with an open bar. Skip the fruity cocktails that are loaded with sugar and opt for clear liquors like tequila or vodka. Choose red wine instead of white wine because it’s lower in sugar. Champagne is also a good, festive option.
When it comes to exercising…Don’t use being out of town as an excuse to stop exercising. “You can create a mini routine by combining cardio like climbing the hotel stairs, jumping jacks and running in place with strength training exercises like push ups, tricep dips on the side of the bed, step ups on the bed, lunges, squats and ab work.” Just remember to warm-up.
Take your favorite workout DVD with you and do it in your hotel room when you have a little downtime. “If you’re the type that craves the motivation of a personal trainer or the group fitness environment, purchase an at-home workout program and take it on the road with you to ensure you never lose momentum while working that beautiful body,” says Dolce. 
The Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp DVD can help you burn around 800 calories! All you need is a set of resistance bands—they come with the DVD and they’re easy to pack.
Another high-intensity DVD option is UFC FIT. “It contains high-intensity, full body workout routines for torching calories and building strength, even while on the go or traveling,” says Dolce.
If you’re a fan of barre workouts, Physique 57 now has workouts available online. You’ll be all set with a computer, a mat or pillow, a set of three or five pound weights (a water bottle will work too) and a sturdy chair.

Losing weight but feeling tired…

Hey Ariane,

Here is my food diary so far this week. I definitely feel like I am losing weight but I am feeling a little tired…not sure if that is just because this is a new routine and I’m exercising a lot or if I am missing something in the food I’m eating?

Thanks, Natalie

MON 4/16

Breakfast: Scrambled egg + black coffee

Snack: Handful of almonds, yogurt (Fage 0%),

Lunch: Chicken, turkey bacon, tomato, romaine, chopped salad with a little low fat dressing (energy kitchen)

Dinner: Baked tilapia with basil, heirloom tomato, asparagus and squash and carrot mash

Snack: 2 squares dark chocolate
2L water

TUES 4/17

Breakfast: Yogurt (Fage 0%), banana + soy latte

Lunch: Tuna salad with olives, tomato, cucumber and a little balsamic dressing

Handful of almonds

Square of dark chocolate

Snack: Small tin of tuna with lemon juice

Dinner: Steak, broccoli

One glass red wine

2L water

WED 4/18

Breakfast: Yogurt (Fage 0%), spoon of oat bran, small amount of cherries and lychee + soy latte

Lunch: Grilled chicken, spinach and broccoli (energy kitchen)

Snack: Handful of almonds

Square dark chocolate

Dinner: Baked chicken wrapped in prosciutto, with roasted squash and carrot

2L water

photo source: http://www.ifood.tv/blog/10-healthy-recipes-for-kids-healthy-recipe-ideas-for-a-fast-food-free-diet

Hi Natalie, 

chances are you’re tired because you’re not eating enough good carbs. 

Having just eggs at breakfast will give you only protein. Aim for 20g of protein per meal – 5x a day. So, that would be 3 eggs or 6 egg whites. Then you need to have about 30 grams of carbs, so either add a slice of whole grain bread and a few veggies or load up on veggies to get a decent amount of energy. 

Almonds and Greek yogurt make for a filling snack. 

Make sure you limit your alcohol intake. If you want to lose fat, alcohol has no place in your diet as it stops fat burning immediately. The many calories it does provide get converted to fat very fast. Alcohol also drops your blood sugar and leaves you quite hungry, dehydrated and with regular consumption short on B-Vitamins. 

Make sure you eat more veggies. Tuna alone provides you with a decent amount of protein, but you can’t just have protein for your meals because you won’t stay full for long. 

Dark chocolate is a great idea if you crave something sweet. It’s low in sugar (if you aim for 80% and darker), has a decent amount of fiber and is very high in antioxidants. Plus, it can boost your mood. However, making it a daily treat isn’t going to help you lose fat fast. Dark chocolate is typically high in fat and too much fat can stall fat loss. 

Soy lattes are quite high in sugar. I’d skip them because soy milk is also incredibly bloating to a lot of people. Why don’t you order a regular coffee with some almond milk instead?  If you have a Greek yogurt (about 7 grams of carbs), plus a soy latte plus a banana (about 30 grams of carbs), you’re totally overdoing the carbs. A tall Starbucks Soy Latte has 22 grams of carbs (and 17g of that come from sugar – that’s 4 teaspoons!!!!). You had a whopping 60 grams of carbs for breakfast and you haven’t even EATEN yet! You only need 30 grams of carbs per meal to stay in fat burning mode, stay full and avoid skyrocketing your blood sugar level. It’s no surprise you’re tired after a meal like this. The fatigue can be due to your blood sugar dropping after it went through the roof. 

Keep up with the lean protein at every meal – as you have been -but do a better job of adding veggies in whenever you can. Perhaps you can get inspired by Whole Foods’ prepared food section or grab little side salads made from veggies to eat as your snacks.