What is so wrong about wanting to look your best at your wedding?

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be your best. I think issues arise when people, women especially, lose weight ONLY for the wedding. When it’s for your health and your own happiness, I think that’s great. When it’s because you’ll hate yourself/your body/your pictures if you aren’t a specific size, that becomes a problem and can in fact cause other issues with both your physical and mental health.

I don’t know who is telling you it’s bad but as long as your healthy and happy, they’re WRONG. Working out is a great stress reliever from wedding planning and it helps boost confidence. You do you girl!

Congrats! I think you had the right mindset when losing the weight. Losing weight is such a struggle and takes such control to take your life back. I’ve lost over 60 lbs myself for myself. Keep up the good work!!!

There's nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy and happy - and the wedding and accompanying pictures provide an excellent goal. I think though, that a lot of people (women in particular) lose weight for the wedding and then do not continue their new healthier lifestyle later, which is obviously not good.

Congratulations on feeling good again

There's a difference between wanting to be your best and wanting to be picture perfect, and sometimes picture perfect isn't the best. A LOT of women exclusively lose weight for the wedding, often in dangerous or unhealthy ways, and don't have plans to keep it off after the wedding and that's who accepting yourself is aimed at. Accepting yourself means accepting that you do not need to look like a magazine or lingerie model for your wedding, not that you can't change yourself.
I have nearly died twice in the last five years from health issues, I'm the largest I've ever been. I'm working on it, I likely won't be where I want to be by the time I get married. Acceptance means being glad that I am alive, being glad that I am healthy, and being glad that I will be where I am on the day of. It doesn't mean I can't be my best, but rather if I am not I shouldn't beat myself up for it, but rather continue my journey afterwards and be thankful and free to enjoy my wedding I have worked hard for.

I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I have lost about 70 lbs for our wedding. I had hoped for more but I'm thrilled with how far I have come. For me the wedding was a wonderful motivator to stick with my goals when things got rough. I have been struggling the past few months and haven't lost the amount I wanted in that time frame, but either way - I'm going to look amazing because I will FEEL amazing.

I think a bigger issue is when people are willing to do anything to lose weight and throw caution to the side in favor of quick weight loss that's detrimental to their health, and that's definitely not a wedding-specific thing.

I think as long as you are losing weight in a healthy way and see the benefits to yourself and your health, you should do what makes you feel great! I had been trying to lose weight for a couple of years since gaining a lot in college, but getting engaged gave me an extra push to stick with it in the long run! You can absolutely love and accept yourself while still making positive changes for yourself.

I am on the same page! Not only have I just become uncomfortable with where I'm at health wise, but I was really pushing to make my wedding a goal and deadline. But I am only getting closer to the wedding and didn't take the time I needed to really jump start my healthy eating and working out and may not make the goal I originally wanted, but I am determined to try! So thank you for this post, it's encouraging me to be sure I stay on the right track!

I agree with PP as long as you are losing weight in a healthy way and are benefiting from it that's what matters. I know my wedding has been a great motivator to stay healthy and keep up with my goals. Keep working hard!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting healthy. If it takes your wedding to get the motivation there’s nothing wrong with that either. Congrats on the weight loss & keep loving yourself whether you meet your goal or not.

Nothing wrong with it at all, and I honestly commend you for all your hard work because I know from personal experience that it’s not easy!

Nothing wrong at all! Congratulations on making strides toward a healthier you!

I think a lot of the push-back comes from women who have been overweight for a long time and have maybe lost weight and gained it back one or two times. I definitely count myself in that camp.

I've been wrestling this myself. Losing weight is hard work and it can be stressful. I know what it takes for me to lose weight and it sucks up a lot of my mental energy. We're trying to make some small changes to be healthier, for life, not for the wedding, but it'll take a bit more to really drop the pounds. I'm trying to determine if the stress and time are worth it when I already have so much to do.

I'm going to be a lovely bride regardless, but not a skinny one!

Nothing wrong at all! And good for you for making a change because YOU wanted to and no one else. You will be a beautiful bride no matter what!