Wedding planning can be so stressful that any sense of routine or stability is knocked straight out the window, and for me, those are key ingredients for wellness. I had a DIY wedding, so it was labour intensive, and I had to bust my butt to be able to fit into my (gorgeous) wedding dress. So that post-wedding season was like a hangover of epic proportions, and it kicked off with a honeymoon that was full of food, drinks, buffets, and…more drinks. So why do most of us fall prey to the Newlywed 15?
Well, sometimes the issue stems from a mental state that I like to think of as “Honeymoon Mode.”
In Honeymoon Mode, you eat out often and worry less about mundane things like doing the dishes or cooking. It’s easy to fall into unhealthy eating habits and laziness when you get home from your honeymoon because your routine is completely disrupted. Not to mention the emotional effects of planning a wedding, recovering from it, and transitioning back into everyday life. But even if you don’t go on a honeymoon, the process of bouncing back from that emotional roller can have the same effect. So the fact that a lot of us gain weight after the wedding is really no surprise at all.
That being said, here are five creative ways to keep off the Newlywed 15.
1. Have freezer meals and a meal plan ready for when you get home from the honeymoon.
If I could go back in time, I would’ve cooked healthy freezer meals during those moments that I just needed a break from wedding planning. Having healthy food available that could quickly be reheated would’ve helped us transition quicker out of honeymoon mode. And to take it a step further, I wish I had made a meal plan for when we got back to take the guesswork out of what to eat while recuperating from the big event.
2. Plan a regular cooking night with your friends.
A lot of brides and grooms spend time with their bridal party while prepping and preparing for the wedding, so keep the good time going in the post-wedding season. Consider hosting a recipe night or cooking exchange to get together with your friends and experiment with healthy meals. After all, the ability to cook healthy meals is a skill that’s useful for a lifetime.
3. Take up physical activities with your new spouse.
How many times have you heard that, after the wedding, it’s really easy to fall into the habit of watching a ton of TV? A good way to break up this routine would be to take up a physical activity together, like hiking, biking or a sport. Although, I think it’s safe to say that curling up on the couch with your new spouse is seriously one of the best parts of marriage—so enjoy it in moderation.
4. Find an accountability partner.
Try to find community with others in a similar position, and seek out a partner for accountability. Start by researching Facebook groups for brides and newlyweds, and if you can’t find one you like, create one! You could also seek out real life or online forums for people in the same boat. These communities are full of people who continue to bond over shared experiences of life after the wedding.
5. The final (and most important) thing is to be kind to yourself.
You had your big day, and now, you’re starting a totally new life. So if you do gain some weight with all the stressors and changes…so what. The important thing is that you’re enjoying your new season and partner. There’s always time to make a change and set goals for yourself. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself and embrace the first stretch of your happily married life.
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Author Bio. Mandi Em is a wife, mother of three, and content creator for the healthy living blog Big Tiny Steps. Her pursuits include clean eating, natural living, reconnecting with nature and living a simpler more sustainable life. She is a fruit & veggie enthusiast, aspiring urban farmer, and passionate health and wellness advocate. If you see her on the street, feel free to give her a high five…or a Mojito. Find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
