Let’s face it — most brides-to-be embark on some kind of diet and exercise regime in the months before their big day. I know I’m not alone, right!? Admittedly, I don’t have a ton of weight to lose but I do want to feel my very best, so I teamed up with Healthfully Ever After for a clean (and delicious!) eating plan that’ll keep us all right on track.
I’ve tried a lot of crash diets in my time only to have the weight return as soon as I stop and most days I try to eat my version of healthy. Knowing that my wedding day will be one of the most important days in my life I decided I should chat with a professional. Enter Carlene of Healthfully Ever After.
Not only is Carlene one of the sweetest gals I’ve met, she’s a registered dietitian who specializes in helping brides loose weight and get healthier with whole foods and lifestyle changes. Game changer. Carlene helped me figure out a healthy eating plan that would work for my busy week days and she shared several recipes that are now my favorites. Today Carlene is sharing a full 1 day meal plan along with a few tips and tricks!
BREAKFAST | Stone cut oats with raspberries, blueberries and walnuts with hemp seeds + grapefruit and oranges with chopped mint.
SNACK | Apricots with dark chocolate and sea salt + smoothie with frozen cherries, strawberries, cantaloupe, chia seeds and mint.
LUNCH | Quinoa, asparagus tips, red peppers, roasted chickpeas, snap peas, arugula, parsley, mint, basil with a side of baked salmon and squeeze of lemon + flavored seltzer infused with herbs, berries and lemon.
SNACK | Apple with nut butter.
DINNER | Buckwheat soba noodle bowl with sliced avocado, slivered kale, shredded carrots, mushrooms and sesame oil dressing and a side of edamame.
*Find all the full recipes over on the Glitter Guide!
[dotted]
5 KEY TIPS FOR SUCCESS
[dotted]
1. Plan Ahead: Whether it’s going to the grocery, or snooping the menu before you go out for dinner and drinks, planning ahead ensures you’re setting yourself up for success and not being ‘hangry’ and choosing something you’ll regret.
2. Pack Snacks: So many of my clients are guilty of waiting too long to eat, so when they finally are around food, they just inhale whatever is easiest! And usually…it’s not the best decision. Always have snacks on hand in your bag like these dried apricot dark chocolate bites or something ready to go at home. The apricots have fiber to keep you full but both the dried fruit and the dark chocolate have antioxidants for beauty nutrition!
3. Pick Super Foods: Antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables keep you full because of fiber. So what’s to stop you from upgrading from iceberg lettuce to spinach or from a banana to blueberries? If you feel like this is hard for you to accomplish planning a meal around so many ingredients, start with a smoothie like the one we made here! It’s packed with wedding wellness approved ingredients. Here’s a link to an entire recipe collection I have of beauty foods, including smoothies!
4. Fat Makes you Beautiful: Back in the 90’s everyone was completely fat phobic…I’m glad it was just a phase! If you have brittle hair or dry skin, it may be time to look in at your diet. One of the things that may be happening is lack of healthy fats like avocado, salmon, olive oil or nuts. That’s why the exclusive SMP menu has walnuts at breakfast, an olive oil dressing at lunch, and salmon too!
5. Food isn’t Meant to be Guilt Inducing: In my world, there really aren’t any ‘off limit foods’. The second you put a restriction on a food, the more crave-able it can become and the more out of control you can be around it. You know what? I love pizza. But it just boils down to balance. Make half of your plate a big kale salad when you order pizza in and top it with even more veggies!
Photography: Abby Jiu Photography | Florals: Intrigue Designs | Jewelry: Loren Hope | Caitlin's Bracelets: Loren Hope | Caitlin's Necklace: Bauble Bar | Caitlin's Sweater: Joe Fresh | Illustrations & Graphics: Striped Cat Studio | Recipes: Carlene Thomas RD, LD | Shoot Location: FA Design Build
[dotted]
PS: WEDDING HAIR AND MAKEUP DO’S AND DON’TS | 6 TRICKS FOR HAIR TRAUMA | 5 WAYS YOU ARE CLEANING YOUR BODY WRONG