Eat Before You Leave

Eat before you get to a party. A small meal before you go gives you energy to talk to everyone, and makes it easier to pass on fattening hors d'oeuvres.

 

Schedule Your Slimming

to be at your ideal goal by the time you buy your dress -- not your wedding day. Losing significant weight after purchasing your gown will cost you more in alterations later; overestimating how slim you'll be means you may wind up with a gown that's too small.

 

Have a Power Month

Know that you can do a lot in a month. Work out four days a week, doing 30 minutes of cardio (jogging, biking, walking, StairMaster), or do stomach work every day, plus two days of upper body, two days of lower body work.

 

Work It Out

Make the most of your time at the gym: Any kind of cardio activity, ideally one that incorporates the upper and lower body at the same time, is great. For example, there's a machine called the VersaClimber, which is a vertical climbing machine -- it's like a StairMaster with a feature that incorporates the upper body too.

 

Know Yourself

The best time of day to work out is whenever you feel best and also when you are most likely to be consistent. If you're a morning person, hit the gym before work. But if you've ever considered hanging a sign at your desk that says "don't talk to me til I've finished my coffee," an evening workout may be better for you.

 

Stay Hydrated

Drink only water while working out. If you must drink a sports drink, dilute it with one part drink to three parts water. If you just drink them on their own, sports drinks are so concentrated that any vitamins or electrolytes you think you're benefitting from are actually going straight through you. 

Feel Your Pulse Pound

Consider using a heartrate monitor, especially when you're on a crash course to fitness. It'll keep you within your target heart rate!

 

Take Snacks to Go

Carry snacks with you. With so many things to do, you'll likely be caught without time to eat properly. If you tote around an apple, a banana, or an energy bar, you'll be less apt to scarf down a bag of chips on the way to the florist.