The ketogenic diet, or more notoriously the Atkins diet, has been receiving a great deal of attention in the media and is still a hot topic of discussion at hen parties and kitchen teas.  Having been a bride myself, I know that brides want to lose weight before their wedding day however; there is a right and a wrong way of doing this.

So the question is “does the Atkins work?”

Let’s first explain how it works.  The Atkins (ketogenic) diet is high in fat and low in carbohydrates and protein, which induces and maintains a state of ketosis.  Ketones are formed when fat is metabolised and the body then uses this as an energy source.  Carbohydrates is the main energy source in our bodies so if you starve your body of carbs you will start breaking down fat that will lead to weight loss…..or so people think.  Weight loss is primarily a result of water losses.  Carbs retain water that leads to water retention in the body, so if you don’t eat carbs your body will lose water and shed kilos.  When you follow a diet low in carbohydrates, your body will also start metabolising its lean body mass (protein) and because your body uses more energy to breakdown protein, it leads to weight loss.

So, this may sound as though it can really work, and in the short term it does, but there are short term and long-term complications of following this diet.

• It causes nausea and vomiting due to ketones in the urine
• It can cause dehydration that leads to kidney damage
• A low carbohydrate intake (which includes sugar by the way) causes blood sugar levels to drop. This leads to lethargy and dizziness, something you most definitely do not want to feel on your wedding day
• Because this diet is very high in fat it increases your cholesterol that can cause heart disease
• If you start eating carbohydrates again you will regain the weight you lost through water losses

The Atkins diet does lead to weight loss in the short-term but it is not sustainable and therefore does not result in long-term weight loss.

So far, this post has been all about the “don’ts”, but there are many things you can do to lose weight and without regaining it after your wedding.  “I see that marriage is treating you well” is not something you want to hear from you closest friends 3 months after the wedding.

In my post on getting started with losing weight, I talked about how you can get started on your weight loss mission.  For those of you that have not read it, go check it out, it’s all about getting enough support, exercising and cutting down on animal products and fat.

After you have managed to take the first steps you can stay motivated by making more adaptations in the way you live and eat.  You can do this by:

• Eating regular meals. Skipping a meal because you are too busy organising your wedding venue or working overtime to afford those romantic fairly lights will be a setback.
• Increase your fibre intake. Fibre rich foods such as whole wheat bread and oats will cause earlier satiety and keep you satisfied for longer.
• Eat at least 4-5 portions of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Refrain from frying your foods; rather steam of microwave fish, chicken and potatoes to reduce the fat content.

Remember that healthy weight loss is ½ - 1 kg per week, so start early.  Send me a message on the community board or comment on this post if you have any questions or concerns about how you can lose weight before your special day.

My next post will dig deeper into the foods you should try to avoid and alternative foods that you should base your diet on.

For further, personalised and more detailed information, please contact NICUS or a dietician registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

Photo credits: .Tham, La tartine gourmande, @win Photography

They also did a wine ceremony, similar to sand or candle ceremony, where their mother’s poured two different white wines into a glass to symbolize their families coming together.

They had the guests sign the wine bottle in silver and gold sharpies.

Another fun touch was the photo booth that was set outside and had no curtain, so the garden is in the background of every photo. Alexis says: “Everyone had a great time posing in front of it throughout the night!”

Here is the vendors Alexis would recommend if you’re getting married in California.

Bridesmaid Dresses - Bill Levkoff

Photo Booth - thephotoboof.com

Wedding invitations - Wedding Paper Divas

Favors - Uline shipping supplies

Party Rentals (Tent, table, chairs, bars) - AV Rentals

The lemon cake look absolutely delicious!

A huge thanks you to Alexis for letting us feature their wedding on A Bride’s Tale.

From the bride…

We made our own welcome sign, by buying a wooden garden sign from a swap meet and painting it white and stenciling our names on it. We also made our own petal cones with large doilies from the craft store. We handmade the favors by purchasing small gold boxes and making monogram stickers to go over them with a yellow rose on top. They were filled with lemon drops to continue our wedding theme.”

Alexis’ mother used to be a wedding florist did all of the flower arrangements and incorporated lemons, limes, and green apples into the arrangements and aisle markers.

I adore these flower arrangements; bright and cheery!

Photography by Allen King Photography, California.

More to come…

Alexis Lind and Greg Robbins’ wedding were inspired by the natural colors of Alexis mother’s garden where the wedding took place. They wanted a classic summer theme that was bright and cheerful.  Yellow roses was her grandmother’s favorite flower so they made it a tribute to her.

More on the way…

Photography by: Positive Light Photography

Reaching your ideal body weight will not happen overnight.  The information in this post will get you motivated to help you embark upon your mission of losing weight.  I will regularly provide innovative ideas and tips on how to get those kilos off and keep them off.

Atkins diet, Grape diet, Fit for Life, Blood type diet, Fat trappers and Ephedrine….

Some of you may recognise these well-known diets and may even have tried them before.  Yes, they work, but 99% of the time you will gain more weight after stopping the diet than you lost in the first place.  These diets are not sustainable and therefore  do not result in long-term weight loss and very often lead to major complications if followed for too long.

For those of you who only have a few kilograms to lose (less than 10), it will be harder because you are closer to your ideal body weight. Losing weight is not easy, but it is most certainly not as difficult as some like to think. Send me a message on the community if you want me to calculate your ideal body weight.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when embarking upon your weight loss mission.

• It’s neither healthy nor sexy to look like a runway model. Ask yourself: “Do I need to lose weight or tone?”.You don’t want to stare at your wedding photos thinking “who is that skinny bride?”.
• Make sure that you choose a wedding dress that fits your body type, losing weight will not change your body type!
• Healthy weight loss is ½ - 1 kg per week, so start early.
• Base your weight loss on a healthy, balanced lifestyle that includes healthy mind, body and soul.
• You will need support, so get your bridesmaids or hubby-to-be involved, or communicate with me!
• Exercise is essential. My husband and I started walking together 3 months before our wedding, this was the perfect time to finalise the wedding plans and it gave us time to be alone without any distractions.

What to do first?

Start by limiting the intake of animal products.  It is however important that you eat enough meat.  It will be of no use to lose the weight, when you are pale and tired on the day of your wedding because you suffer from iron deficiency. Meat contains iron that prevents one from becoming anaemic. I have seen a few brides that developed anaemia because of dieting.

Secondly, cut out animal foods that have a high fat content.

Examples include:

• Cream (including that delicious Alfredo pasta sauce),
• Butter,
• Chicken skin,
• Processed meats,
• Full cream milk,
• Cheese,
• Bacon and liver spreads.
• Sorry girls, no KFC for a while.
• Do not skip meals, especially not breakfast.
• Finally, cut down on fatty foods. It is not so much the carbohydrates that make us gain weight, but rather the fat content.

And that’s all it takes to get you started to lose weight before your wedding day! Good luck!

Continue the discussion in the community…

My next post will delve deeper into the foods you should try and avoid and alternative foods that you should base your diet on and we will also be looking at the ketogenic diet.

“The information explosion in the science of nutrition very often creates the impression that available information is contradictory. Consequently, it is no longer easy to distinguish between fact, misinformation and fiction.  This post is based on research and science done by professionals through correct research methods”. ..Nicus

We are very happy and honored to have you on board Cornelia, we know you will be an inspiration to all of us!

I am going to hand this post over to Cornelia to introduce herself!

“I passionately want to live each day to help people, especially brides-to-be, to reach their weight-loss goals in a healthy and enjoyable way.”

Hello! I am very excited to be a part of A Bride’s Tale Wedding Team.

A bit about myself:

My name is Cornelia Casaleggio and I am an exuberant and outgoing 26 year old, living in Cape Town - undoubtedly the most beautiful city in the world.  I have worked as a chef in some of the major hotels in our country, including the Saxon in Johannesburg, and the Cape Grace in Cape Town, but often found myself wondering: “Is this the place God wants me to be?” ”Is this where I am needed most in the world?”

Four years ago I left the career I had built up and went back to University to study BSc Dietetics.  This is where I discovered my passion for making people feel good about themselves.  I am 4 months away from being a qualified dietician and I study everything about nutrition I can get my hands on! This has enabled me to finish my degree as a cum laude student, something I am very proud of, not only because I worked hard for it, but also because it has made me very humble; I have come to realise that the more I know, the more I know how little I know.

When Lettie asked me to join the A Bride’s Tale team to give advice about health issues, I was thrilled because I realised that this would be an awesome opportunity for me to help people.  I love working with people of all ages, races and cultures, but I must admit that working with brides-to-be is most exciting. Having been a bride myself a mere 7 months ago, I know exactly what goes into planning a wedding.  (My wedding was featured here.) It’s not the detail alone that can make us lose our minds, but the pressure we put on ourselves to look and feel perfect on the special day.  Besides, if you are lucky, you will never have a chance to repeat that day!

When the day finally arrives, you will be surrounded by make-up artists, hairdressers, bridesmaids, mothers and friends, ensuring you have everything your heart desires; but at the end of the day, the most important person there to make you feel special is you.

All brides want to lose, or in some cases gain, weight before they get married.  “If I could manage to lose those extra kilo’s then I would look great” - the first thing that goes through our minds when he finally pops the question.  It’s not just about looking great, but feeling great too!  You are the most important person on your wedding day, and if you feel great about yourself it will be realised in the way you look.

I am here to give you expert advice on weight loss, and healthy living, as well as clearing up some horrible diet myths.  I will also be sharing amazing recipes, encouraging you to do the same, using the community as a platform to communicate with the public. Please feel free to ask me as many questions as you like; in this way we can also help other brides-to-be. Losing weight and keeping it off is not always easy to do on your own.

To find a registered Dietician in your area visit www.adsa.com, or email NICUS at nicus@sun.ac.za.

Dietician’s advice is based on science and not what “my grandma said”, remember: “If it is about nutrition, ask your dietician”

Watch this space for the next exciting article:

“You finally have the motivation to lose weight, if you do it right, you can have that body you always wanted, for life - with a little bit of effort though”