Designer Shweta Kapur’s Pre-Wedding Fitness Diary

Sweat, smile, repeat. Every bride wants to feel her best on her wedding day, but for Shweta Kapur — fashion designer, wellness devotee, and self-proclaimed “workout junkie” — the journey is less about shedding a few kilos and more about maxing out on strength, sanity, and style. Forget the traditional bridal cleanse; Kapur’s approach to her big day is a fitness regime that’s equal parts skill-building and zen. It’s a diary full of “good-for-you” hacks: everything from 7,500 daily steps to a little bit of ghee in her morning Americano for an extra metabolism kick. And for any bride in the throes of wedding planning, her blend of discipline and fun might just be the holy grail.

Shweta Kapur's Pre-Wedding Fitness Routine

WEEK 1: Keep Calm and Carry On

A friend of mine gave me the best advice from his own wedding: attend your wedding like a guest and just have fun. Wedding prep is not stressful, but it is overwhelming. The only thing you can do is tackle one task at a time. I meditate a lot and keep 15 minutes in the morning and evening for myself where I do my meditation and keep my sanity. If you can, get a wedding planner. Vandana Bhardwaj, of ShadiEnvision, is planning mine, and I pass on all my stress to her ;)

WEEK 2: All The Right Moves

I’m a workout junkie. I love movement, and for me, workouts are more about skill-building and less about losing weight. My week consists of strength training, yoga, pilates, and running. I started my fitness journey fairly early in my 20s, and now I’m in a phase where I love to push myself to see what my body can do. I workout at Knox in New Delhi with Adito Sen, with whom I’ve been training for the last five years, and once a week, I go to Life Yoga for active recovery.

Also, because I exercise every day, nutrition plays a huge role. Arun Chahal, founder of Sweat Project, is my go-to person for all things nutrition. He’s helped me figure out exactly what works for me and how many macros I need on a daily basis.

WEEK 3: One Day at a Time

Like Adito says, consistency is key. Just starting somewhere is important, and all you have to do is take one step forward every day. My workout is also my only hour where I can completely switch off from everything and focus just on myself. Maximum health and fitness for me is to make sure you get 60 minutes of exercise at least five times a week, and you follow the 80-20 rule with clean food.

WEEK 4: Walk This Way

The only thing I added was to ensure that I get in at least 7,500 steps every day. Simple but effective. Also, I zipped my mouth and avoided my weekly hot chocolate fudge. It’s true what they say: abs are made in the kitchen.

WEEK 5: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

I started yoga and my daily walks roughly six months before the wedding, and pilates two

months before. This is particularly helpful because I work out a lot and my muscles get really tight. I didn’t really change much with my workout since I’ve hacked what works for me, so I increased the intensity because I didn’t want to mess around with what was working. But yes, I went cold turkey with alcohol and sugar.

WEEK 6: Food For Thought

I eat a lot. I’m perpetually hungry, and nothing comes between me and my love for cake. But like everything else, consistency is key when it comes to my food. On weekdays, I keep it clean, and on weekends, I pick one vice — alcohol or sugar, not both. Here’s how my typical day shapes up:

Wake-up routine

Hydration: Start the day with two glasses of water

Meditation: A 20-minute session to centre myself before the day begins

Morning Brew: Americano with a pinch of salt (enhances flavour, reduces bitterness) and a spoon of ghee (boosts metabolism).

Pre-workout fuel

Hydration: Aim for 1 litre of water —split across pre, during, and post-workout

Breakfast (post-workout)

Protein shake

2 boiled eggs

10 soaked almonds

Oat latte

Mid-Morning Snack

Choice of cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt with blueberries, depending on my mood

Lunch

A balanced plate of rice, paneer or chicken, and veggies

Side of cucumber slices

Afternoon snack

Pick one, based on energy needs: Greek yoghurt, makhanas, or a fistful of nuts.

Dinner (early, around 6:30-7 p.m.)

Chicken and veggies — light and nourishing

A piece of dark chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth

WEEK 7: Nutrition Without the Numbers

I don’t really like nutrition apps because I feel they encourage counting calories, and I tend to get obsessive about that, which is not healthy for me since I’ve been through numerous eating disorders. I make sure that there is some protein in each meal and lots of fibre to help me digest the protein. Always prioritise clean quality macros over calorie counting. Pre-wedding, you also want to eat in a way that helps you look and feel your best, and overall works with your body internally. Your own wedding is a great motivational factor to take care of your body. 

For the first time, I actually started paying attention to my gut health, and what I was eating and when. It cleared up my skin, and my energy levels increased. You also feel much lighter throughout the day.

WEEK 8: Having it All

I try to exercise first thing in the morning, so my day is free for work and wedding planning. I’m actually really lucky that I have a great team at work and a great wedding planner who has really steered the ship for me this year. I also took a week-long trip to Kashi for a meditation retreat just to centre myself and calm any pre-wedding planning nerves.

FINAL COUNTDOWN: Consistency is key.

Sure, it’s slow and boring, but honestly, the only thing that works. You can do Ozempic and the likes, but the clarity and mental satisfaction that you get from a workout? Priceless.

This has been adapted for the web from an article published in Manifest’s December 2024-January 2025 issue that is now on stands. For more stories like this, subscribe here!