I never imagined prepping for our wedding during a pandemic. Prior to being engaged, I pictured myself using the year leading up to our big day to get into the best shape of my life, get monthly facials and celebrate with friends. I can confirm that little to none of this has happened 😂
2020 and the early months of 2021 completely derailed my pre-wedding glow up plans. Realistically, I spent the majority of the last 12 months eating and drinking everything in sight, throwing fitness out the window and avoiding celebrations 😅
Before I knew it, it was February and I hadn’t done a thing to physically, mentally or emotionally prepare. May was very quickly approaching, and I was nowhere near looking or feeling like my best self. I was tired (and looked like it), burnt out and honestly a little depressed as a result.
I decided then and there that I was going to do everything in my power to change how I felt. I’ll stop here to caveat this post the same way I have my other wedding posts — I know these are very much first world problems. I’m lucky to be in a position where I have a job, I can afford to spend money on whatever my version of self-care may be and that myself, Bill and our families are healthy. I’m grateful we’re even having a wedding at all! That doesn’t change the fact that prepping for what is supposed to be one of the best, most important days of your life amidst an emotionally draining pandemic sucks. Anyway, onwards and upwards.
So like I was saying, once February hit I decided I needed to make a few changes that would ultimately help me feel like a much better version of myself come May. This might not work for everyone, but it’s what I had been saving up for, and ultimately what I decided was going to work for me. Here’s what I’ve been doing…
SKINCARE & BEAUTY
Upping my skincare game was first on the list when I started to figure out my wedding prep. I love skincare and am pretty religious about it, but there were a few changes and upgrades I knew I wanted to make. Breaking them down below…
BOTOX
If you’re following me on Instagram you’ll already know this, but the first thing I did was get Botox. Botox isn’t for everyone, but it was definitely something I had been thinking about for a year or two. I kept pushing it off, but once I realized how close we were getting to our wedding, I knew it was now or never.
It can be overwhelming trying to find someone to do your Botox. I looked on at tons of websites and read hundreds of reviews. I wanted to be sure that whoever was going to do mine understood what I was looking for and I wanted to be able to articulate what I was looking for — hence all the research.
Enter my friend Elizabeth Murray. I met Liz through my best friend Courtney (they went to PA-C school together) and I’ve been telling her for years that I wanted Botox. When I was finally ready to take the leap, I knew I wanted Liz to do it. Liz is a PA-C at Fairfield Dermatology and she gave me the Botox of my dreams. Liz promised me she’d be very conservative, and she administered just the right amount. She did two areas – my forehead and my glabella (the area between your eyes).
Recently I went back for my follow up appointment and I think we only added a few more units. I truly couldn’t be happier with the results — I look like a better, more-well-rested version of myself. If you’re local and interested in seeing Liz shoot me an email or DM so I can connect you with her! Here’s my before and after 👇
My Skincare Routine Updates
When I audited my daily skincare routines, I knew there were a few changes I wanted to make:
- I committed to using my NuFACE daily — it’s a great product, but I’ve found that I only really see results when I use it consistently. Although I don’t think this helps with wrinkles, it definitely helps with sagging, de-puffing and overall tone. You can find the mini (which I have) 20% off here.
- I added a toner and a liquid exfoliant — I’ve never been one to use a toner consistently, but I wanted help reducing the size of my pores and balancing my skin. I went with the Paula’s Choice Pore-Reducing Toner, and within a few days of using it I’ve noticed a difference in the size of my pores and the clarity of my skin. In addition to the toner, I also added the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant after seeing it everywhere on TikTok. I am LOVING it. I think the two products combined have really made a difference.
- I added a new Vitamin C serum — it had been a while since I used a Vitamin C serum I really liked. Vitamin C serums are great for so many reasons, but I just wasn’t seeing the results I expected with the product I was using. After lots of research (and I mean lots), I upgraded mine to the iS Clinical Pro Heal Serum. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and although I think it’s too early for me to completely review it, I feel like I already notice a difference when it comes to redness, sun damage and acne scars.
- I’ve started incorporating the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel Pads at least once a week — this product definitely has a cult following and I understand why. I’ve used them in before, but prior to about a month ago they were never a regular part of my routine. If you’re new to this product, they help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, pores, and shine. Since I started using them I definitely think my skin looks brighter.
Smile
Nothing crazy to report here. Just doing plain old Crest White Strips. They haven’t failed me yet!
Treatments
There are a few skincare treatments I’d like to try before our wedding. There’s one that’s particularly high on my list, and I’m hoping to be able to try it and share the full experience with you guys soon. Stay tuned…😏
DIET
If I had to pick one aspect of my overall wellbeing that took the biggest hit during this pandemic, it’s my diet. I’m sad to admit that I’m a big emotional eater, and when you pair that with an extremely emotional year well, the results are not great. I definitely put on some unwanted weight this year, and although I don’t think I’ll be able to drop it all before our wedding, I knew I could be feeling much better.
I thought for a while about how I wanted to kickstart a healthier way of eating and eventually landed on ProLon. Again, if you follow me on Instagram you’ll already know this but ProLon is a 5 day, plant-based, fast-mimicking cleanse that helps you lose weight, curb cravings and reset your body. It also promotes cell renewal. It was tough, but it’s definitely doable. I should note that I’m also already primarily plant-based with the exception of fish here and there, so that was not a huge shock to my system.
I could do a whole post on the program, but ultimately I feel like Prolon has reset my system and helped me to get back on track. It’s basically been a week since my cleanse ended and I’ve been able to keep off 75% of the weight I lost while following the program. More importantly, the program opened up my eyes to the excessive snacking I was doing while working from home, my out of control carb cravings and foods that were impacting my body in a negative way.
Post-cleanse my cravings have subsided, I’m intermittent fasting (which I think the program sets you up really well to do), I feel more clearheaded and I’m avoiding food that make me feel like crap (tired, sluggish, nauseous, etc.). Moving forward, I plan on limiting dairy and gluten when I can. I’ve always been somewhat sensitive to dairy, and although I don’t have an allergy, I definitely feel better eating less of it.
FITNESS
This department still needs work, but I’m getting there. Right now I’m trying to walk or do the 12-3-30 treadmill workout (incline of 12, speed of 3, for 30 minutes) every day. I’m also trying to incorporate a ton of pilates. I’m currently using the Melissa Wood Health app and have been enjoying it so far. I was in a workout groove before I started Prolon, but because significant exercise is not recommended during the cleanse, I kind of took a break.
Outside of treadmill workouts and pilates I don’t have any other true fitness goals or aspirations at the moment. I just want to look and feel my best, without setting myself up to fail. I should probably ramp it up a little bit, but honestly I’m just taking it day by day. I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to get outside the end of March and April for some runs as well.
HAIR
Last but not least, hair! I pretty much stopped coloring my hair at the end of 2019 and really didn’t touch it again until October of 2020. At that point, my hair felt dull and one-dimensional, so I knew I wanted to bring it back to life before our wedding. I was on a mission to find a new stylist nearby in Stamford, and my friend Anna behind Bliss & Bellinis recommended Beauty By Nicole. Nicole specializes in blonde and balayage and she literally transformed my hair.
The last time I visited Nicole I ended going pretty blonde (for me) and a little bit shorter. I’m seeing her again next week (the same day as my first dress fitting !!!) and we’re going to come up with a plan for the next couple months leading up to our wedding. I think I’m going to go a little bit lighter and I’m very excited.
… and that’s a wrap. Again, I can’t stress this enough that this routine might not be for everyone. I’ve received a bunch of questions about all of these topics, so I figured it made the most sense to answer them in one place. As always, if you have any questions be sure to send me and email or DM me on Instagram!