WEDDING DIET Week Two: Drop a wedding dress size in a month!

We hope you found the first week of the Wedding Journal 'drop a wedding dress size in a month' guide easy and are ready for this weeks food diary and exercise plan to get you into the wedding gown of your dreams.

With Wedding Journal help you will be walking down the aisle in a wedding dress that is a size smaller looking every bit the blushing bride.

Enjoy week two's food diary...

Diet Recipes

Mixed grain muesli with hazelnuts * Day 10

Ingredients

• 30g rolled jumbo oats
• 15g of barley flakes
• 15g of wheat flakes
• 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds
• 30g of raisins
• 15g of unbleached hazelnuts roughly chopped

Method

Mix together the rolled oats, barley flakes wheat flakes, sunflower seeds, raisins and hazelnuts. Divide between two bowls and add milk or soya milk to serve.

Chicken and Vegetable broth * Day 12

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 chicken
• Water
• 2 vegetable oxo stock cubes
• 2 large carrots
• 2 leeks
• Parsley
• 100g soup mix
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

In a large saucepan put chicken in and cover with water, add with pinch of salt and pepper. Boil for 1.5 hours until chicken starts to fall away from the bone.

Remove chicken from saucepan and place onto a plate Add chopped leeks, carrots and parsley to the stock along with the 100g of soup mix. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to simmer.

Add two vegetable stock cubes to 1 pint of boiling water.

Add to soup mixture.

Add pieces of cooked chicken simmer until soup thickens and barley and lentils are soft.

Season with salt and pepper This thick broth is very filling and ideal for both lunch and as a main evening meal.

Red Bean Salad *Day 8

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 2 (15oz) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained well
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped, whites and greens
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup sweet red pepper relish
• 2 tbsps (2 turns around the bowl in a thin stream) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (2 splashes) white distilled vinegar
• Coarse salt and pepper

Method

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss well; adjust seasonings

Strong, beautiful arms

This week we are shaping up the arms, the largest problem area for most brides.

Upper arm and nearby shoulder muscles are small ones, which means that a little work will shape them up super fast. All you need is one set of hand weights - pick a weight – from three to 10 pounds, that starts to fatigue your muscles at the 12th repetition of an exercise and wears them out by the 15th. Do these five exercises in the sequence in which they're given, or make them tougher by doing them by supersets. Follow the routine two to three times a week, resting at least once a day in between sessions. For best results, increase the initial weight to the next higher level (say from three pounds to five) once the exercises feel a bit easier. Within three to four weeks, you'll look like a different person from the elbows up.

Rear deltoid raise

Improves your posture by strengthening the back of your shoulders.

1. Stand straight, feet hip width apart arms by your side. Lean forward, keeping your spine straight. Arms hang at your sides, palms facing outwards holding weights.
2. Gently turn palms to face inwards and slowly raise your arms out to the sides (until they are parallel with your back). Then squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold. Release your shoulders and very slowly return to starting position. Do two to three sets of 12 -15 repetitions.

Triceps dip

Works back of arms (triceps) and back of shoulders.

1. Sit near the edge of the chair, knees bent at a 90-degree angle and with feet flat on the floor. Grasp the front edge of the chair seat (don't lock your elbows), keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Keeping your hands on the chair, slide your butt forward off the seat.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your torso toward the floor, until your arms get close to a 90-degree angle. As you move, keep elbows parallel to each other, not flared out to the sides. When you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press down on your hands and raise your body back to position 1. Do two to three sets of 12 - 15 reps.

Bicep Curl

Tones the front the upper arms (biceps) and forearms.

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, back straight. Hold each weight with an underhanded grip, your hands in front of your thighs, your elbows pressed to your waist and slightly bent.
2. Keep elbows pressed into your sides, slowly raise your forearms toward your shoulders, then slowly return to position 1. Do two to three sets of 12 - 15 reps.

Lateral raise

Strengthens the middle shoulder.

1. Stand with feet hip width apart, knees soft, chest lifted and abdomen contracted. With arms at your sides, hold a weight in each hand, palms facing your body, elbows slightly bent.
2. Keeping elbows slightly bent, slowly raise your arms out to either side until they reach shoulder level. Keep your neck long and don't hunch your shoulders. Pause a moment, then slowly lower arms back to starting position. Do two to three sets of 12 - 15 reps.

Upright row

Works the upper back, front and middle shoulders and front of upper arms (biceps).

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees soft, Hold weights in front of thighs with your palms facings toward you (edges of weights touch).
2. Moving elbows higher than hands slowly draw your arms up until the weights, almost touching, stop underneath your chin. Don't hunch your shoulders. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower to position 1. Do two - three sets of 12 - 15 reps.

NEXT WEEK WE WILL BRING YOU THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS OF OUR WEDDING DIET AND EXERCISE PLAN.