Two-Topic Thursday

Our first topic for the day is Body Pump. I went. Again. Here's the proof:

Yes, I always choose a spot in the back--come on--nobody looks good from behind when they are sticking their bottom out like it's being served on a platter!

For the last week or two I've also been staying for the class right after Body Pump, which is called Cardio Blast and involves some plyometrics, strength training, step aerobics, and core work. I call this a "double header," and it brings me to my next topic, which is: pre-wedding dieting.

Obviously, as a former anorexic and bulimic, I try to avoid anything that resembles dieting. However, even with my "non-wedding" wedding, it's hard to ignore the media hype around brides feeling like they have to lose weight before they give away their freedom get married.

Originally I had intended to avoid this trap by envisioning a short, flirty, and forgiving wedding dress, a á la:

http://www.mywedding.com/blog/wedding-basics/fashion/wedding-dresses/pretty-flirty-wedding-dresses-ivy-and-aster/

Cute, right? Who knows how big that model's hips/bottom/stomach are--and that's the point of the dress!!! Actually, we all know how "big" the model's bits are. But my point is that if I were wearing it, who knows how many cupcakes I could eat the day before the wedding--with no (apparent) fatty consequences.

On the day of wedding dress shopping, however, which I only agreed to do because it was important to my mother (Hi Mom! I love you!), I must've had some kind of hormonally-induced lapse of judgment because what I ended up with is form fitting, long, lacy--a legitimate wedding dress!

My dress is very pretty and I'm extremely grateful that my Mom and Dad wanted to get the dress for me.

But...it has caused me the tiniest amount of stress because I know that I'm two (medium) pizzas away from feeling like a lumpy sausage in a lace casing. OK, not really, but that's what the ED thoughts tell me when I eat three bowls of Peanut Butter Puffins. I've resisted the (strong) temptation to engage in some form of dieting, but I do think that my wedding dress is, at least in a very small way, part of the reason I'm doing these twice-a-week "double headers" at the gym. Mostly I'm doing it because it makes me feel really good, and it's wonderful to feel excited about fitness and exercise rather than feeling like I have to do it because I ate too much f-ing cereal.

So, where's the fine line between wanting to move my body in a way that makes me happy versus punishing it for something (a wedding) that is--after all--not important? (Really--in case it hasn't been obvious before--I care very little about this wedding.) (That sounds mean, like I'm going to hurt my Mom's feelings. Sorry, Mom!)

*What about you--did/do you feel pressure to look perfect on your wedding day?