How to Look Wedding Ready Without Cutting Carbs (Seriously!)

Who’s sick of crazy no-carb diets and strict rules for every meal? We know WE sure are!! That being said, we couldn’t be more grateful to celebrity nutritionist, Cara Clark, for creating a non-diet approach to nutrition. She truly believes that food can heal you from the inside out and that every person’s approach to nutrition and their ideal diet is unique (umm, hallelujah!) Today we’re sharing Cara’s expert tips on how to look wedding day-ready without all those unnecessary and unrealistic diets.

P.S. Cara is launching a wedding nutrition challenge for all you beautiful brides out there who are looking for a non-diet approach to getting in your best shape for the Big Day! Use code SMP20OFF for $20 off your purchase!

Let’s start by saying that the Science of Nutrition indicates that we have six essential nutrients. This means, we can NOT thrive without them. They are:

1. Carbohydrates

2. Fat

3. Protein

4. Vitamins

5. Minerals

6. Water

I won’t bore you too much with science because I know you need to utilize the energy you have for wedding planning, so let’s make this easy. We have three macronutrients that have an enormous biochemical role in our bodies. I suppose you can guess those listed above: carbs, fat and protein. And three micronutrients that are also essential to life and best function in the human body. These are: vitamins, minerals and water. Most of which is actually consumed through the food we eat. Read on for my 6 go-to tips to look wedding-ready without cutting out any essential nutrients!

Tip #1: Count your macros.

A good baseline is to focus on eating 50% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 30% fat. Our Style Me Pretty Wedding Challenge can help you stick to those goals. 50% carbs might sound like a lot, but carbohydrates carry the most water and the most antioxidants. This is why when people start our program, the compliment they always get is that they’re glowing. Carbohydrates actually help to keep you hydrated and antioxidants enhance your youthful appearance, while also keeping your immune system strong! Who doesn’t want that for their big day!?

Tip #2: Eat the rainbow.

One of the essential rules in my program is to eat five colors of fruits and vegetables per day. This is a great way to consume more antioxidants through carbs.

Tip #3: Avoid white carbohydrates.

Choose your carbs wisely! I’m sure you know by now which foods are considered carbs, but your best choices will be carbs coming from fruits and veggies like sweet potatoes and squash, and whole grains like oats, rice, quinoa, and even legumes like chickpeas or black beans.

Tip #4: Eat within 1 hour of waking up for a speedy metabolism.

You’ve heard it before, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Eat a well-rounded meal (Refer to tip #1 for macros!) and kickstart your metabolism first thing in the morning.

Tip #5: Drink 80 ounces of water per day.

Try using a water tracking app to help keep you accountable!

Tip #6: Stay active!

Try to exercise 4 times per week for at least 30 minutes.

Not only is it important to look good, but feel good as well!  Trust me on this, I wish I had felt better at my own wedding. When I was 23, I was new in my nutrition studies and didn’t know what I know now. I have always experienced that when I undereat my carbohydrates, I feel weak, tired, and foggy, not to mention “hangry!” Who wants that for their big day!? Relish in the amazing memories by fueling up and feeling your best! Congratulations! Looking forward to helping you on this journey!

Photography: Angelica Marie Photography | Hair & Makeup: 10.11 Makeup