Ever since my engagement last winter, I've had a major soft spot for wedding wellness and nutrition.  At every wedding appointment, on every wedding website, or vendor event I heard a woman talk about her crazy diet plan to fit in the dress. In fact, I have a vivid memory of a relative's wedding ‘ cabbage soup diet’. Instead of intense restriction or calorie counting, I opted out. I never said no to mac and cheese and had a bite of dessert when I really wanted one. With a million other things to plan, doesn't every bride deserve sanity in one area of life?

That's when I met a kindred spirit. During a Twitter chat for Healthy Eats, the Food Network blog, Solutions Bridal mentioned their clients always ask them about the latest diets and we clicked. We decided what crash diets really boiled down to were unrealistic expectations. There are no fast fixes or magic pills to lose all the weight you want in a month. Shunning carbs will make you Bridezilla (and harm your body!).

"The average engagement is around 15 months and a dress ordering period can be between 6 to 9 months. For the sake of your dress alterations, you need to be at or very close to your weight at the time of your order. That also means you need to maintain that weight for several months before the final fitting. Kicking extreme diets OUT of your life and focusing on sustainable healthy choices is crucial! 

Here’s your wedding weight loss equation..."

Read part 1 and part 2 to find out realistic expectations & equations for your dream dress. 

-Carlene Future RD

Dietitian Nutritionist and cookbook author sharing flavor-forward recipes and simplified science-driven wellness.