Wedding diet plans for couples ensure a glowing skin, as well as the energy levels that are so important for the big fat wedding to go through without a hitch.

Although it might seem like a short amount of time, 12 weeks, and with some diets, or even four weeks, is a long enough time to make some noticeable changes.

Start your diet at least one-two months before you are ready to tie the knot. The last week is probably the most hectic part of the wedding. This is when one needs to stay energetic and focused. Also, you need to be able to follow the meal plan easily during this time. This last stretch of the diet plan can gear you up just right for the fanfare of the big day. But this is very important to keep in mind that weight reduction should be in a very healthy way.

The last week of the diet focuses mostly on keeping hydrated. This is extremely important as you are going to be under a considerable amount of stress. It also keeps you feeling lighter. Make sure that you follow the diet religiously to begin to see the results in just two weeks. Your skin will look better, you will find it a lot easier to stay focused on the preparations and, of course, you will see changes in the inches and on the weighing scale as well.

Some important tips —

Include a lot of carrots, yellow and orange fruits, and green leafy vegetables to make the skin look younger and fresher.

Eat almonds and walnuts as they are loaded with omega-3. This gives better hair and skin for the wedding.

Keep the breakfast wholesome and filling. Add two egg whites to the breakfast.

Water helps the body get rid of any toxins. That adds to the energetic feeling before the wedding. Skin and hair will also look a lot better. Drink minimum 2 to a maximum 4 litres of water a day.

Things to avoid —

Never skip meals. Despite the busy schedule, stick to a meal plan that is timely.

Make sure that all the food is home-made. Packet and store-bought food contain a lot of preservatives and additives that can make the whole meal plan quite redundant.

Do not consume junk food, oily food and food rich in sugar before your wedding.

Do not follow crash diets. If you want to get into shape, gear up in advance. Start your wedding diet plan 1 month earlier so that you see good results as you get closer to the actual date of the wedding.

Cheat meals are only applicable till the third month. No cheat meal one month prior to the day.

One can count the required calories by using Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This is an estimation of how many calories are burned per day when exercise is taken into account, and is calculated by multiplying BMR (basal metabolic rate) by activity level. Simply consuming less calories per day than your TDEE value, will allow you to lose weight. Try subtracting 500 calories from your TDEE to lose weight even further. But also keep in mind that diet must be specialised so the best way is to visit a dietician to get a proper diet plan.

From managing the wedding budget to browsing endless wedding dresses until one finds the perfect one, planning the big day can be very overwhelming. Stress can affect both mental and physical wellbeing as it causes an increase in the hormone cortisol, which can impact the mood, reduce sleep quality and make anyone irritable.

Making time in the busy schedule for some down-time is very important. This could be taking a bubble bath or spending 10 minutes on meditation or simple breathing exercises.

Beside weight reduction, it's advisable to prepare the body to rid itself of what it does not need through de-toxing. Detox cleanses the body using fruits and vegetables. The high fibre content of detox diets activates the metabolism and prevents bloating. Besides losing weight easily, it can function better, and look healthier and more radiant. The effects are visible both physically and mentally.

Whether it is 4 weeks or 12 months until the big day, everyone should try to keep their eye on the prize when it comes to weight loss. Don't put things off until the next day – the earlier one starts and the more persistent the person is, the better the results will be.

Photo: Collected