Prepping for a wedding can be an overwhelming process: Between merging two families, nailing down the event details, and finding that perfect dress, it can all feel a bit daunting. That’s why it’s more important than ever to try and maintain a balanced and healthy routine in the months leading up to your big day. Not only does it help keep the pre-wedding stress in check, it also ensures you’ll look and feel your best on your big day. (Who doesn’t want that natural glow for the photos?) Below, an outline of the best ways to prepare your body and mind, 6 months, 3 months, and 1 month before you say “I do.”

6 Months Out

Kickoff your mornings with a mug of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon. The benefits of this early day routine are endless: It aids with digestion, helps flush out toxins, contains a healthy dose of Vitamin C, and helps you de-bloat.

Start by making some easy food swaps that will help get you in a health-oriented mindset. The big thing here is to not to commit to anything too restrictive. Remember, you still have a lot of time to take these small steps.

Say goodbye to the bread basket. This is one of the easiest things to do, but it can have the biggest impact. Plus, you’ll enjoy whatever you’re having for dinner a lot more now that you haven’t stuffed yourself with those unnecessary carbs beforehand.  

Curb late night snacking. Try to stop eating sugar after you’ve had dinner. Or, if you can’t overcome your sweet tooth, swap out your late-night dessert for some low-glycemic fruit (berries are best) or dark chocolate. Both berries and dark chocolate are rich in antioxidants and dark chocolate is proven to help with skin hydration.

Get your cardio on! Picking a new cardio-based exercise routine will help build up endurance, increase your energy, and keep you in a good mood because of all those extra endorphins you’ll be producing. (Remember Elle Woods? “Endorphins make you happy!”)

3 Months Out

Download an app to help keep you on track. Now that you’re getting closer to the wedding, life gets busier with fittings, bridal showers, and bachelorette parties, and it’s suddenly much more difficult to stick to the healthy routines you’ve cultivating for the past six month. Use an app to help keep you in check. Try MyFitnessPal, which is an easy way of keeping a log of what you eat, and Fitner, a mobile marketplace where your favorite trainers, influencers, and athletes share their real-time workouts.

Cut out as many processed and refined carbohydrates as possible. Limit your intake of white rice and breads, processed cereals, pasta, and other packaged goods. You can replace these with healthy complex carbohydrates like brown rice, quinoa, gluten free oats, sweet potato, and low glycemic fruits. All of these foods contain a lot more fiber in them, so they won’t spike your blood sugar, which is key for staying satisfied longer and maintaining energy!

Eat something green during every meal. This one’s a no brainer. Adding something green during each meal will fill your body with vitamins and nutrients, a.k.a. those essential goodies that make skin and hair glow. Try throwing spinach in your morning smoothie. Have a salad over greens at lunch. Sauté broccoli or zucchini with dinner.  

Start to incorporate strength training and toning exercises into your fitness routine. Lifting weights and doing bodyweight exercises like planks, pushups, squats, and lunges help build muscle, which in turn helps increase your metabolism, and who doesn’t want that?

1 Month Out

Try eliminating the big two: gluten and dairy. Cutting out these common food irritants, can have enormously positive health benefits. Not only can it help stop bloating and inflammation, but it will also clear up your skin and help your energy skyrocket. Essential during wedding crunch time.

Start adding collagen to your diet. Collagen is a superfood for improving skin and hair health, and strengthening nails and teeth. Mix a flavor-free powder into your morning water or coffee and you’ll see a notable difference within a few weeks.

Drink plenty of water. This is the most powerful and least expensive thing you can do for yourself. Make sure to have eight cups daily to flush out any toxins, naturally detox your body, and hydrate your skin.

Don’t shy away from eating fats. Eating fat does not make you fat. Most people have a hard time understanding or believing this but healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, and nut butters, keep your energy up and your body fueled. And the beauty benefits of these foods are also incredible. Avocado, coconut oil, and olive oil are filled with tons of vitamins that will make your hair shine and your skin glow. 

Add in some yoga and Pilates. The last few weeks before a wedding can create a lot of added stress, so going out to a yoga or Pilates class are excellent ways to help soothe both your body and your mind. Consider a hot yoga class, too, as the heated environment creates helps you sweat and detoxify your body, increases flexibility, and is one of the best ways to de-compress and slow down.

Above all else, just listen to your body and remember to enjoy the moment. Be mindful you only get to throw a wedding once (at least, that’s the hope!), so don’t sweat the small stuff.

Written By: Alli Stein of A Balanced Bite