Taming Bridezilla

Illustration by Amy Gotobed

Alright ladies, we know emotions are running high during this special time. Whether it’s stress or overwhelming tears of joy, wedding planning is enough to make any girl feel like she’s jumped aboard the crazy train.

You’re going through all this effort to achieve perfection. The perfect dress, the perfect makeup, the perfect hairstyle --- don’t ruin it with a total meltdown. Of course, there will be times that your emotions will get the best of you, but no need to increase the odds of that. Poor eating habits can push this already tenuous situation over the edge.

Use these tips for any day you have a wedding related event … especially the big day itself!!

Avoid sugar.

I know, I know… sugar makes you happy. Unfortunately, the feeling is short-lived. The aftermath of digesting it can lead to your emotional unraveling. When you dump lots of sugar into your body, your hormones can sometimes overcompensate while they try to clear the sugar out of your blood. This can lead you to feel tired, short-tempered and ready to cry on a whim. Obviously, this will create anything but an ultra-composed and gracious bride.

Don’t go too long without eating.

Anyone that knows me up close and personal knows that I’m packing some sort of snack bar in my purse (Oh…don’t forget the one in the glove box. Right… and the one in my desk drawer.).  I’ve literally had to remove myself from situations because I need to eat and am about to lose it. The funny thing is, I know I’m not the only one who loses control when going too long without eating, but very few people recognize what is actually going on.  When you go too long without eating, you’re setting yourself up to be an emotional basket case. Your body can only function with gas in its tank, and part of that functioning includes keeping your cool. So, what is too long without eating? Try to eat something every 3-4 hours during the day, and definitely don’t push it past 5.  And what kind of snack bar, you might ask? Find one with less than 13 grams of sugar and at least 3 grams of fiber.

Speaking of fiber…

Hopefully you’ve introduced it into your regular eating plan as you’re attempting to look your best on the big day. If your body is already accustomed to it, it will be your best friend during stressful times since it will help you to maintain your composure (don’t tell your Maid of Honor, she thinks this is her job, but really, fiber will do better than she ever could!) The magic of fiber is that it will cause your meals and snacks to breakdown more slowly creating an effect similar to a “slow-release capsule.” As you can probably see, this is the opposite effect of what sugar does to you.  Your goal should be for a slow and steady digestion all day, which will constantly feed your happy hormones and fend off the crazy makers. With that being said, if you’re reading this and your wedding is coming up this week, it’s too late to ramp up the fiber. You need to introduce it gradually into your diet and work your way up to a goal daily intake; otherwise, you will be a gassy bloated balloon cursing my name as you walk down the aisle. This, clearly, is not my goal!

The perfect combination.

At every meal, aim for including a lean protein, a healthy fat, and a fiber-containing carbohydrate. The fat will work in a similar way as the fiber we discussed above and the carbohydrates and protein will give you the energy you need to enjoy every second of this amazing time.

Examples of this trifecta would be:

Breakfast- Oatmeal, walnuts and a low fat yogurt

Lunch- Whole grain bread, turkey and avocado with a side of baby carrots

Dinner- Salmon, green veggie and half a sweet potato (eat the skin!)

Snack- piece of fruit, a handful of almonds and part-skim string cheese or celery sticks and whole grain crackers with peanut butter

The fact of the matter is, that during this process, vendors will not always do their job right and friends/family may not meet your expectations on how they act during your very special time. It’s a sad truth that will no doubt leave you feeling a little bummed about an experience you thought was supposed to be nothing but magical. However, you’ll quickly forget all of those tiny details, because it will end up being magical despite it all… that is, if you don’t have the haunting memory of throwing a temper tantrum that could rival a 2-year-old pageant contestant. Keep it together, girl!