MUMMY!... My Gown No Longer Fits!

Anna got engaged to her boyfriend last year and her wedding ceremony will be held soon. She followed Dorothy Humphrey's Weddings Planning Timeline very well and was not late with any items on the "To-Do List."

It was her last evening as a "Miss" and she decided to try on her wedding gown which had been delivered three months ago. As Anna slipped the top of the wedding gown over her head and pulled it down towards her waist, all seemed well. She asked her younger sister Stella to zip her up.

That was when Anna noticed that she had gained a few extra pounds! As Stella struggled to push the zipper all the way to the top it reached half way at Anna's back and just did not move any more.

"Mummy!" Anna yelled at the top of her lungs.

"My gown no longer fits!"

Anna's Mother, Grace rushed upstairs to her daughters room to find out what all the yelling was about. She found her eldest daughter in her bedroom in front of the mirror looking horrified!

"It doesn't fit me anymore!" Anna whined.

"Whatever happened my dear? Did I not keep telling you to keep away and not eat all those mandazis, samosas, chips and chicken? Your wedding day is tomorrow!" quipped the distraught mother. "Take it off. I will see if I can let out a few inches at each seam" Grace commanded.

Anna readily complied with her mothers request. Its was 7.30 in the evening and Grace got busy on her sewing machine. She first measured her newly fattened daughter and proceeded to undo and then re-do the dress in the new bigger size. Thankfully when Anna tried on the dress again, it fit her with enough space to move around, even to dance!

Do you want this to happen to you on the eve of your wedding day? I am sure, like most of us, you do not have a mother who is crafty and with a sewing machine at home.

Make sure that your wedding gown fits you on your wedding day. You want to be strong and confident as you walk down the aisle on your special day, so eat and exercise wisely.

Below we give tips that will help you maintain your weight and also look stunning on your special day.

1. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Don't miss it. Eat well and you will likely snack less;

2. Replace mandazis, sausages and samosas with carrots and apples when it comes to snacking. Not only will they keep you slim, they will add loads of vitamins to your body, which is good for your skin and hair;

3. Use smaller plates when eating your main meals at lunch and supper. This will encourage you to eat less and smaller portions;

4. Drink a lot of water. At least eight (8) glasses per day. This will keep your stomach full. Moreover, water helps to flush out toxins from your body, ensuring you have beautiful skin on the day of your wedding.

5. Do you enjoy drinking fruit juices? Do you know that they are usually packed with calories? Dilute each glass 50/50 water and juice and consume less calories.

6. Take out or home cooked meals? Fast food like chips and chicken are delicious. But eaten every day? Carry a home cooked packed lunch with you to work. Start by shopping for vegetables and meat at your local market to get as much nourishment as you need. This way you will arrive healthy and confidently at the church on your wedding day.

7. Those rides home in the matatu are comfortable and they drop you off just a few meters from the gate to your house. Try getting off at the shopping centre (if its not too far away!). A daily walk home of at least half an hour in the evenings will do your muscles and lungs a lot of good!