“Weddings are all the rage at the moment…” headlines the Home Page blog listing of BBC Radio http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/, and of course each wedding has its own food drama.  The cake, which cake, the (bride’s, groom’s, wedding party’s, and guest’s) weight loss or other transformation; the reception fare, the ample flow of food in the respective dressing rooms of the bride and of the groom.  But wait, there is one person hiding out from all this today!  The bride’s father, and he may just be starving!

The forgotten father of the bride!

“Here’s what happened to my father,” says young Julie, who I know here in Encinitas, California, of her wedding in her homeland in the south of France.  “We were busy all morning getting ready, my mother, my sisters, my bridal party, she says, and nobody looked out for my father’s meals. He says he ate minimally early morning, like a roll and coffee, thinking he would be eating later, but this wasn’t enough to sustain himself for so long. It was in the afternoon, after the service, and within a ‘blink of an eye’, I turned to see my father collapse, weak with low blood sugar and hunger; we had forgotten,” she exclaims.

They all end up well fed…. or over-fed

Brides may be eating well to shape their body and their looks before their wedding. This is an effective weight loss-triggering event, Am J Clin Nutr August 1997 66: 2 239-246. Bridesmaids, the Matron of Honor, the Groom, the groom’s contingency, and the bride’s mother are all bustling to get things readied.  It is a wonderful motivation, to reach a weight loss destination on the way to the wedding. 

On the day of the wedding, in the respective groups in the process often one person prompts the rest to “stop and let’s eat.”

Their combined synergy is reflected as all pull together to bring preparations completed at the exact moment they must be.  And they all end up well fed.  Or, at least fed, as it may be high saturated fat, high sodium, high glycemic, refined carbohydrate for often the group thing of “I’ll just have what everybody else is” clicks in.

One Who Escapes the “Day-Of” Drama May Be Destined to Meager Meals

For the one who escapes the day-of drama, this may not be so. Kind of a lucky soul, the bride’s father may not be a big player in this wedding day scurry to prepare.  But, like Julie’s the father of the bride may be destined to meager meals and failed intentions. Depending on what he puts into it, which may be not enough to fill the tank for the day, he may be in for trouble later on.

What’s a Father to Do?

• Drink Water.  Water prevents one from becoming dehydrated. “As you age, you become more susceptible to dehydration for several reasons: Your body’s ability to conserve water is reduced, your thirst sense becomes less acute and you’re less able to respond to changes in temperature,” according to the Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561/DSECTION=risk-factors. Coffee, tea, and alcohol all act as diuretics, so we cannot kid ourselves that what we drink on wedding days is kindly filling our water tank.  We just have to put back the water to stay mentally acute and clear of fatigue.

• Well, eat; balanced nutrition according to the physician prescribed diet if he is on one; across the food supply, which includes carbohydrates, protein and fats, plus water. Carbohydrates are utilized as fuel the brain; without them we end up as Julie’s father did. Proteins are fabulous for diminishing appetite.  Fats provide satiety.  So, we stay full for a long time.

Some carbohydrates I pick right now for my family include: 

• Honeycrisp Apples (http://www.melissas.com/Products/Products/Honeycrisp- Apples.aspx)
• Kabocha Squash (http://www.melissas.com/Products/Products/Kabocha-Squash.aspx)
• Organic Scottish Oatmeal (http://www.bobsredmill.com/oats/)
• Old Country Style Museli (http://www.bobsredmill.com/old-country-style-muesli.html)

Some proteins I chose for a family member of mine may include:

• Sockeye Salmon, Individually Quick Frozen (http://www.traderjoes.com/)
• Skinless & Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil (http://www.traderjoes.com/)

Some examples of Fats/Oils I may bring home from the market this week include:

• Bariani Olive Oil (http://www.barianioliveoil.com/)
• Avocados (at the Encinitas Farmers Market)

And How Does it All Turn Out for Julie’s Dad?

“We sat him down with some water to sip, then we fed him, and later on, I saw him dancing the night away with my mother,” she says.  “But it sure was one big surprise on my wedding day,” she laughs.

What Can I Do To Lose Weight?

Look for a Big Motivation.  Here are some, for example:

• Medical Diagnosis:  The doctor says, lose weight or start medication.  This is excellent motivation
• Special Event:  The Wedding, The High School or College Reunion: Good for a short-term goal.  Make your goal!
• Vanity:  Lose weight for your good looks and you will lose it with a strong purpose.  This can be the strongest motivation of all