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Everyone wants to look like a star on the day of their marriage. And while most grooms and brides may not be health and fitness enthusiasts throughout the year, they leave no stone unturned in the wedding countdown to ensure that when they flip through the album years down the line, everyone remembers how fit and glowing they looked. This being the year of the pandemic, would-be couples need to be all the more cautious about taking care of their physical and mental well-being.
“Brides and grooms should define their beauty based the harmony with their bodies, minds and emotions. Health, harmony and confidence come in the form of good food, so it’s really easy”
— Jinal Shah, nutritionist
Top 3 foods that Jinal recommends before the big day
Shudh desi ghee
It reduces chances of bloating, especially because of late-night eating and sleepless nights that are common for couples during courtship
Essential fatty acids in ghee lead to good assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins, specifically vitamin E, and give that glow to your face
Enhances the flavour of food and therefore satiety, helps auto-reduce the portion size of every meal
Tip: Have 3-5 tsp of ghee every day, preferably with meals
Good old haldi
Helps beat physical and mental stress
You don’t want a pesky urinary tract infection leading up to the wedding, and haldi is great for preventing infections
Helps your skin beat the effects of tanning and pigmentation
Tip: Use haldi in daily cooking and not as shots
Full fat dahi set at home and chhaas
Provides your body with gut-friendly bacteria, reduces bloating, gives the stomach a flat look
A good source of calcium that strengthens bones and gives a toned look
A great digestive aid, as it will allow you to metabolise food
Tip: Have a few teaspoons of dahi before stepping out for shopping and parties. It will reduce the acidity that follows. Carry chhaas with you in a flask
Exercise to bond
“Sharing interests and spaces increases bonding and intimacy between couples. When they’re close, their breath and touch become one. Couple workouts lead to togetherness, love, compassion, empathy, care and wholeness,” says Dr Mickey Mehta, holistic health guru.
With the focus on sparsh (touch), coordination and eye contact, Mickey’s couple workout programme includes around 15 exercises — such as hurdle stretches, forward and backward lunges and vertical couple push-ups — that are followed by spa therapy and meditation.
Tip: Practising bhramari pranayama together brings the couple on the same page of thought process, creativity and life goals. It releases nitric oxide, relaxes all our organs, stimulates the endocrine system and increases synaptic connection, which is very important for the couple.
“For a toned look, spend 45 mins in workouts 5-6 days a week and get enough quality sleep at night. Drink spinach and beetroot juice once a day for the glow of good health”
— Zareen Siddique, fitness trainer and diet coach
Exercises that Zareen recommends this wedding season
For arms: Lateral raises, front raises and push-ups
For buttocks and legs: Glute bridges, lunges and squats
For core: Plank hold and renegade rows
For tummy: Reverse crunches and lying leg raises
For cardio: Go for a jog twice a week, followed by burpees, box jumps and skipping
Tip: Weights can be added to all the exercises to make them more effective
Sleep, don’t snooze
Most couples are guilty of not getting enough sleep before the wedding. Besides being a prerequisite for glowing skin, a well-rested body ensures you don’t feel exhausted when you should be enjoying all the wedding ceremonies. So, try to pack in eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
