The Bride Diet: a nutritionist’s guide on how to prep for the big day

It’s the one day that you want to look and feel your absolute best, so many brides focus on optimising their diet in the run-up to their wedding.

Whether you’re looking for the best pre-wedding weight loss plan, or want to tweak your diet to promote healthy hair and glowing skin a boost, we’re here to help. Nutritionist Kim Pearson breaks down her top tips for what to eat (and avoid) before your wedding.

I always love working with brides to support them in looking and feeling their best for their big day. There is no greater motivator! But before we get onto wedding diets, I want to highlight one key thing to remember. Many women decide that they’d like to lose a few pounds before their wedding, and that is absolutely fine. But the objective should be to look and feel you absolute best, not somebody else’s. It’s important to set your goal at a place you know you’ll feel happy and healthy at, not one that means your other half may no longer recognise you…

Pre-Wedding Weight Loss

Many brides to be come to me for help with losing weight and their goals can vary significantly. Time is a key factor – the further ahead you can start planning, the more likely you are to reach your goal weight for your big day.

It can be tempting to dive into overly restrictive fad diets to lose weight quickly if time is short. The good news is that it’s possible, and certainly more sustainable to effectively lose weight without going to extremes. If you’re serious about losing weight, consider working with a nutritionist who can tailor a diet plan specifically to your needs. For a lot of women, simply learning how to structure meals in the right way and knowing what to avoid are key steps in achieving their goal weight. Base your meals around a protein source, healthy fats and plenty of vegetable or salad, rather than starchy carbs like cereals, pasta, bread or rice. It’s also important to keep highly processed foods and sugar intake to a minimum and avoid snacking between meals where possible.

Amongst my other articles for Evening Standard I’ve covered topics including how to make your breakfast weight loss friendly and the food mistakes to avoid if you’re trying to lose weight, which you might like to check out. If you’re prone to bloating, take a look at my feature on the common causes of bloating and how to beat the bloat.

What to Eat for Better Skin, Hair & Nails

Another common question from brides to be is what they should eat for clearer skin and stronger hair and nails. After all, few things are worse than a breakout on your wedding day. If you’re prone to breakouts, keep a skin diary in the run-up to your wedding and note any problem foods or drinks that trigger spots. Common culprits include dairy, alcohol and highly-processed foods so work on identifying food triggers and find alternatives if you want to swerve wedding day blemishes.

Stress can also aggravate acne and trigger breakouts - we will come on to how to manage stress later in the article. It goes without saying that hydration is key for skin health, so drink plenty of water every day. You can log this on an app if you’re someone who struggles to remember to keep on top of it.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich foods are key components of a skin healthy diet. Dark green leafy vegetables and berries are amongst the best sources of antioxidants to help protect skin cells from damage. Bell peppers, broccoli and brussel sprouts all provide good levels of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant which is also essential for collagen production. Essential fats support skin health in a variety of ways, including helping to prevent dry skin. Oily fish like sardines, anchovies, salmon and mackerel are amongst the best sources of omega 3 essential fats but it’s worth considering a supplement, since many of us don’t get enough in our diets.

When it comes to hair, vitamins A, D and E, iron, zinc and amino acids are all important. A whole food diet that provides optimal protein, healthy fats and a rainbow of different coloured vegetables should be a key focus here too. Biotin, a B vitamin, is the hero when it comes to hair and nail health. Biotin can be found in egg yolk and salmon as well as some nuts and seeds, but there are also plenty of supplements out there if you need a helping hand.

How to Minimise Stress

It can be really, really stressful planning a wedding. With all this pressure on you to get everything perfect, as well as trying to lose weight and exist with perfect skin, hair and nails, remember to take some time out for yourself and focus on your wellness. Stress can impact our diets in several ways, and if you are trying to lose weight or improve your diet ahead of your wedding, stress has the potential to get in the way of this. Increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol have been linked to increased fat storage around your middle, while emotional eating is common in times of heightened stress.

If you are experiencing stress or anxiety, take time to consider how you can address this. What healthy habits support you in relaxing? For some women, meditation and yoga work well. Others prefer to talk a walk, listen to music or read a magazine. I even have one client who findings colouring in her colouring book relaxes her better than anything. Building restorative time into your schedule is more important than ever during periods of stress.

One of the supplements I most commonly recommend for stress is Ashwanganda. This ancient medicinal herb is classified as an adaptogen. Adaptogens are agents that support the body's ability to accommodate varying physical and emotional stresses, helping maintain balance. Ashwagandha can help you manage stress by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It has also been shown to enhance the activity of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that acts to diminish the activity of neurons in the brain and central nervous system. This puts the body in a greater state of relaxation and alleviates stress and anxiety. Try Pukka’s Wholistic Ashwagandha.

It can be tempting in stressful times to reach for a glass of wine after a long day, but there are countless reasons as to why this will not support you in looking or feeling your best on your wedding day. Aim to keep your consumption below the government’s maximum weekly recommended intake of 14 units. If you’re aware that you could benefit from drinking less, check out my tips on how to cut down your alcohol intake.

Finally, ensure you’re getting plenty of good quality sleep, which will benefit countless areas of your life and wedding prep. Avoiding stimulants like caffeine in the afternoon and implementing a regular bedtime routine can be helpful. You can also try taking a bath with magnesium salts, as magnesium is a known muscle relaxant.

Kim Pearson is a qualified nutritionist and weight loss expert based on London’s Harley Street. She consults clients in London and internationally via her virtual consulting room. For more information about Kim and the services she offers, visit her website.

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