Choosing the right diet type is the most important decision you'll make, as you plan for weight loss success.

The best plan to follow is designed to produce 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week. At this rate, weight loss is safe, healthy, and lasting. Plan accordingly and designate the proper number of weeks for dieting following the 1-2 pounds per week rule.

For instance, if you want to lose 10 pounds before the big day, you'll need at least 5 weeks of dieting to guarantee healthy weight loss (10 pound goal/2 pounds per week = 5 weeks of dieting).

Diet Types for Your Wedding

Forget about all the different diets available and stick with the only type proven to produce safe, healthy, and lasting weight loss. A gradual, moderate restriction of calories is the best diet type to follow and the only one proven to work.

Interestingly, all diet types work by restricting calories. For example, the Negative Calorie Diet works because the recommended food to eat is significantly lower in calories than your baseline diet.

It's that simple. Supporters of the diet claim that negative calorie foods burn more calories during digestion and this leads to weight loss. In truth, negative calorie foods are essentially low in calories and you end up eating fewer calories than before you started dieting...and that's why you lose weight.

The best diet type to follow in preparation for your wedding is a simple low calorie diet.

Restricting Calories

Restrict calories slowly and only moderately from your baseline caloric intake. Keeping within the range of 200-600 calories reduced, you'll experience safe, healthy, and lasting weight loss.

The following table shows you the number of calories to reduce from your baseline, both at the start and at the maximum reduction. This is your guide to healthy weight loss.

Baseline Intake/Start Restriction/Maximum Restriction

2000/200/400
2300/250/450
2600/300/500
2900/350/550
3000/400/600

If you normally eat 2300 calories per day, then start by reducing your daily intake by 250 calories. Gradually work towards reducing your daily intake by 450 calories.

What to Eat

Eat a balanced diet. Each day eat 35-45% lean protein, 25-35% complex carbohydrates, and 15-25% fat. Healthy fats, like Omega-3 from fish, can substitute for a lean protein source.

Each meal eat 1 source of lean protein, 1 serving of complex carbohydrate, and 2-3 servings of vegetables and fruit. Limit simple carbohydrates (sugars) and unhealthy fats, like saturated fats and trans-fatty-acids, to just a few servings per week.

Wedding Exercises

Your diet type and weight loss plan are not complete without exercise. The most critical aspect of exercise is to tone muscle.

The good news? There's a simple and effective way to tone muscle and lose weight. Not only that, with toned muscle, you'll look tight and buff, surprising all of your guests.

You can find the instructions to toning muscle at Wedding Exercises.

To Healthy Weddings!

Michael A. Smith, MD
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website