The Birthday of my Forever

I have been thinking about writing a series about the countdown to what my close friends and I refer to as TheBirthdayParty , we’d call it what it is but the moment you say wedding, people ask you for their invite… and it’s too awkward to say “uhm, you don’t have one.”

In any case, TheBirthdayParty is happening and just like other bride-to-bes , I have been trying to lose weight with loads of hurdles and speedbumps. I have recently caught myself saying November is enough time to lose weight all while stuffing another piece bar of nougat into my mouth.

So I stress eat, how will going on a diet while stressing really work for me? I work out very hard and most of the time I eat well. Then dessert gets introduced and I forget  all about my size 30something dress. Hahaha, funny thing is the dress fit perfectly back in July when I went to choose it(That is a whole other story, and I’ll tell you about it soon, I promise) and being a person that loves her samp and steamed bread with stews in winter, what makes me believe November will be enough to get me to the promised land?

This is how I know that I have this in the bag…

I have been working hard over a great deal of time to get the body that I am maintaining. I am in the gym for over an hour and half daily, twice on some days. While I may sabotage my diet (by diet I don’t mean a month long challenge, I mean my normal eating habits i.e. lifestyle) by having desserts often, I work it off and eat very well most of the time.

My thing is you are supposed to enjoy every most moments of this journey and how will you do that on an empty stomach. This is how bridezillas are made. HAngry women that can’t stand other people eating in front of them.

One thing that stuck with me from all those years of watching Oprah, was an episode where she interviewed a few elderly former models and she asked each what they regret and one response was “I regret all the dessert I didn’t have when I had the body and the metabolism that could burn it up, now I am older and have diabetes and cannot have those desserts that I postponed.”

With that said, If you are going through those few months between your engagement and your wedding day remember these few tips that have kept me sane through my journey.

1. Start the weight loss journey right at the beginning. Don’t wait until you have to walk down the aisle to eat right. Don’t try a crash diet,you’ll regain the weight plus some. Switch the entire lifestyle. Walk more, Run faster. Work out through that winter to ensure that your summer body is on point by the time your day arrives.

2. Eat Healthier. Stay away from bloating foods, sugar, processed foods and foods rich in sodium. Yes, I will stay away from the nougat…in November.

3. Lift weights. No, you won’t look like the Hulk. I promise but you will tone and build leaner muscles. There is a huge difference between flabby arms and toned arms.

4. Drink loads of water. You don’t want bad skin too close to you date. This is also great for your weight loss too. Flush out all those toxins.

5. Whiten your teeth. Get a regimen that whitens your teeth starting at least 3 months before the date. 3 months because you don’t want to start using something you might react to too close to the date. I use Optic White Kit that I got from Clicks and I recently visited my dentist for a more professional cleaning. I also try to avoid teeth staining drinks like coffee and tea.  

6. Work on that great bridal glow for your skin. Start a skin-care routine at least six months prior to your wedding to reduce breakouts, lighten dark spots and minimize fine lines. Wash, Tone and Moisturise. Simple as ABC. Find a product that works for your skin type and keep at it. Another thing, I wanted to schedule a series of facials prior to the wedding when my colleague who used to be a cosmetologist said why must it be an expense? You have the steam room at gym. Get a mask. Learn to do your own facials, skin scrubs/exfoliate and massages. Not everything has to be costly and I have noticed a definite glow and clearer skin. Use sunscreen prior to the wedding, I can’t stress this enough.

7. Have a hair test run, if possible, on the same day as your make up trial run. Bring your veil so that you know how you will look with your veil on, if you are wearing one. Don’t get hair that won’t allow you certain joys. If you will plait your hair, do so a couple of days before you wedding. No one wants a painful headache because their hair is pulled back too tight on the wedding day.

8. Have a make-up test run, again about 3months before your wedding so you can see what you’ll look like on the day. You don’t want to leave this until too close to the wedding because you might have an allergic reaction to the make-up and you’d obviously want that to completely clear and you will want to try out other products that agree with your skin. This is a tough one for me because I am having a destination wedding and am not so willing to lug my make-up artist along from Cape Town to the secret location so I am learning the art from the professional, rather that than have a stranger do my face on the day. I’m learning what I like, and what looks good on me. This might have to be a DIY effort on the day *panic attack* *shriek* Breathe!!! I’m ok. Do not sleep with your make up on, I repeat, wash it off. Applying primer under foundation is a must for a perfect complexion.

9. Have a Wedding Day Kit. We sometimes have little accidents. Your size 30 dress fit well last week and now you just popped a button and that needs fixing ASAP and a needle and white cotton string could go a long way right now. Have your make-up go to items just in case you make-up artist gets lost on his/her way to your nuptials. Powder for when you start to look shiny and lipstick for when you’ve kissed him too many times.

10. Get your brows shaped professionally if you don’t know how to shape them yourself.  Also get longer lashes. You don’t have to look like your eyes are wearing fans but get a length you like and have it applied. Careful with the brows and don’t overpluck. You want to look groomed and your brows NEED to be on fleek. Your brows are great for framing your face, and complete every make up look.

11. Nails, DO NOT get stick ons. It doesn’t matter how tight the budget is. They will fall off and you might end up having to do gang signs just to avoid getting those embarrassing fingers on your photos, My plan is to grow my own natural nails and get them looking great with a gel mani and pedi that stays intact for up to two weeks. This will allow me to function during the wedding and especially during the honeymoon without worrying about long fake nails. I love using my hands and don’t want to be limited. Prep the hands for the attention they’ll receive. Use a good quality hand moisturiser for a couple of months leading up to the wedding.

12. Don’t neglect your lips. Exfoliate. Lipstick and gloss will sit better on smooth lips than on lips that are peeling. I apply Vaseline or balm and exfoliate with a damp wash cloth in a circular motion. And I am an avid user of my 8 hour cream by Elizabeth Arden. It leaves my lips smooth and lipstick ready.

13. If your skin is anything like mine, it’ll remain clear and great all the days leading up to the wedding and on the wedding day in the morning, an unwelcome guest will show up. I call it the event zit. The event zit always chooses a spot that can’t be hidden, like your nose or forehead. Don’t pinch or try to pop it. It will only get angrier. Use a zit spot controller like Eucerine Spot Corrector to calm it down.

14. Last but not least, when you are fixing yourself up for the biggest day of your life. Don’t stray too far from who you are in real life. We all want to look like a princess on our big day but you also don’t want to look at the pictures later and ask yourself “who is that person?” Go there as a better version of you. Not a complete stranger.

Again, enjoy the journey. It doesn’t last very long and you’ll miss it once it’s over.

Xoxo

That Happy Girl – Noni