Weight-loss pros share clever ways to shed those last few pounds before the big day.
Photo Credit: Bridal Musings via Lover.ly
Make sure you eat breakfast.
Research studies have shown that you’ll consume at least 100 fewer calories over the course of the day if you do. Try oatmeal — it’s a great slow-burning carb that will keep you feeling fuller longer. —Neda Talebian Funk and Caroline Limpert, co-founders, FITiST, fitist.com
Shop for organic foods whenever you can.
Studies have shown that chlorine-based compounds found in the pesticides used in conventional, non-organic farming interfere with your body’s ability to burn fat. —Liz Vaccariello, author, The Digest Diet, A Reader’s Digest Book
Save your calories for the big day.
Replace every other cocktail with a glass of water instead. Calories from alcohol can really sneak up on you, so be wise in your choices: Wine and spirits on their own are about 100 calories per 5-ounce serving, compared to cocktails like piña coladas and mojitos, which are 380 and 214, respectively. —Tricia Williams, culinary holistic nutritionist at foodmattersnyc.com
Drink water, water and more water. Soft drinks, specialty coffees, alcohol, even energy drinks and fruit juice add calories just like solid foods.
Be aware that many coffee drinks have just as many calories as you would find in some fast-food menu items.
Next time you hit Starbuck’s, try switching up that venti Café Mocha, which will cost you a whopping 450 calories and 23 grams of fat, for an 80 calorie fat-free grande Cappuccino. If you aren’t willing to give up your lattes just yet, make your next one “skinny” and cut your calories by more than half! —Rebecca Fuller, RD, dietician, Fashion Institute of Technology and NYU Coles Sports Center
When that craving for chips and dip hits you, try barbeque flavored Popchips.
They have half the fat of regular chips and taste great dipped in calcium and protein-rich Fage total 0% greek yogurt. The tart flavor of the yogurt combines perfectly with the salty-sweet chips for a healthy and delicious snack. —Fuller
Yes, they are a healthy snack choice...
But only eat nuts pre-measured into a single serving, otherwise you may end up eating upwards of four to five servings throughout the day. This adds up to hundreds of extra calories and way more fat than you need in a single day. —Funk and Limpert
Look for foods rich in fiber, protein, healthy fats, calcium and vitamin C.
All are “fat releasers” that make it easier to fill up without filling out. Some good choices: fiber-rich lentils, brown rice; protein-packed turkey, eggs; healthy fats like avocado, walnuts, olive oil; yogurt, feta (for calcium); kale, cantaloupe (loaded with vitamin c); People deficient in these key nutrients have been shown to have higher body masses. —Vaccariello
When eating out, select an appetizer as your main dish.
And add in a broth-based soup, side salad or extra orders of veggies to save about 300 calories. —Funk and Limpert
Like asparagus, berries, oranges, walnuts and avocado, which help calm you down. Result: your body will produce less cortisol, a hormone that promotes belly fat. —Williams
Replace your bread with lettuce wraps when eating sandwiches.
You will save roughly 100 calories per slice. —Funk and Limpert
Get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep deprivation interferes with appetite-regulating hormones. that means you’ll feel hungrier (and more likely to indulge in poor eating behavior) if you’re running on less sleep. Aim to clock seven or eight hours per night — you’ll have more energy and fewer cravings. —Vaccariello
