But I Don't Want To Diet...

I feel like I face this dilemma on the regular... "I want to look great in that dress, but I don't want to actually try and diet".  In a perfect world I would just accept that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to in order to get what you want.  Considering that this is not a perfect world, I will go down refusing to diet for the sake of looking good in one dress.  Assuming you're healthy and take care of yourself, I don't see anything wrong with fudging a little bit when trying to look your best.  We all want to feel good, especially when we have to dress up and try.  Here are some of my tips and tricks for pulling it together at the last minute.  

Spanx
No matter how thin you are, you should own a pair of Spanx!  Almost every celebrity who walks the red carpet is either wearing one or two of these problem area disguisers to pull off their gorgeous gowns.  They come in different colors and styles. You can buy less expensive versions are various stores but for about $20.00 you can get the name brand from Nordstroms or online.

Let's address your concerns...

Are they comfortable?  Yes!  They actually make dresses MORE comfortable because you're not worried about, well, anything!  They aren't like tights either because they stay up really well.  You won't be fussing with them the whole time, in fact they prevent fussing.  Always buy the correct size, this goes for every clothing purchase you ever make!

Aren't they for old women?  Probably, but it's no secret that every celebrity wears these suckers to help smooth out their figure.   Even the 20 somethings.  Men probably also think that these are like a push-up bra... misleading.  But they don't really change anything about how you accept streamlining your figure.

When do you wear them?  Personally, I don't wear them a whole lot mainly because I don't wear a lot of dresses that require them.  I usually just like to wear them with tighter dresses or sheer dresses.  But you could wear them under anything you want!  They really are that comfortable.

Epsom Salts
I did a whole post on why I love Epsom salts.  One of the best things about it is it's ability to reduce swelling and bloat.  The idea is that it pulls toxins out of your body like a sauna, minus the sweating.  Take an Epsom salt bath every other day leading up to your big event.  I've read that it takes two cups of salts and 12 minutes for Epsom salt to do it's thang but I'd hang out in the tub for a while longer and just enjoy.  And on top of reducing bloat you will also be exfoliating all over which is a huge plus for dresses that show some skin!

Concerns?

Where can I even buy Epsom salt?  Anywhere like a drug store, grocery store or Target.  It's really cheap, rounds out to be about $1.00 a pound, so buy in bulk!  This is what those scented bath salts are made of.  You can buy some brands of Epsom salt that are scented with lavender and other soothing smells.

Is it natural?  Yeah, much more natural than anything in your shower right now!

Is it possible to use too much?  In my opinion, no.  I use probably four cups per bath!  I like to rub it directly on rough areas and I also use it to volumize my hair.  But this could vary for medical reasons or whatever.

Benefiber
I know this sounds like a stupid piece of advice because I'm not a doctor.  But I started adding fiber to my diet every morning with my coffee and I lost three pounds.  I'm not saying this will happen for everyone but it really does help cut out the bloat.  It's also really healthy for you and some Benefiber comes with extra benefits like heart health.  So you can either hike up the fiber volume in your diet a few weeks before your event or just make the healthy everyday change.

Concerns?

Can you taste the fiber when you mix it into your coffee?  No!  It's crazy because even in water it completely dissolves and you can not taste a thing.  I even cook with it and add it to sauces, cheeses and mashed potatoes!

Am I going to get stuck in the bathroom because of this?  Seriously, I didn't know how else to word this... but no, you won't get "stuck in the bathroom".  It's not a laxative.

Light Weight Lifting

When I don't want to diet I usually also don't want to work out extra.  But if you want to really "wow" in a dress, at least do some light weight arm toning.  I'm talking three sets of bicep curls using a full water bottle or 5lb weight while watching Project Runway.  Every commercial break do a different arm workout!  If you add some arm workouts to your routine prior to having to dress up, you will start to notice some nice definition in your arms that shows up in pictures.  Every little bit helps!

Here are some easy workouts for arms:

Bicep Curls- Start with your arms straight at your side and your palms facing in toward your thighs holding your weight.  Curl your bicep and bring the weight up to your shoulder.  Rotate a quarter turn so your palm is level with and facing your shoulder.  Then slowly lower your weight back to the starting position.  Repeat on both sides!

Tricep Extensions- Hold one weight with both hands behind your hard so that your elbow are by your ears.  Extend your arms up so that they straighten, holding the weight above your head.  Return your arms back to the bent position and repeat.  Sit up straight!

Shoulder Press- Check your posture first.  Holding one weight in each hand, bend your arms and hold the weights ad shoulder height.  Press the weights up so that your arms are straight.  Then slowly lower your arms back to the original position and repeat. 

Drink Water

Have I lectured you on healthy living habits enough yet?  Well, this is my last piece of advice to make getting into that dress a little easier.  Drink water!  Get all your 8 glasses everyday and then a little more.  Drinking too much water can potentially bloat you but this is usually in conjunction with high salt intake.  Don't overload yourself on water OR salt the week prior.  Drinking water will help you look healthy and also help flush out extra waste that can be causing a little bloat.  

Other small tips:

- If you have one available to you, hit the sauna and sweat out that extra puff!

- Don't starve yourself because eating a lot of little things throughout the day can help you loose weight and it actually works pretty quickly.  

- Stretch!  Sometimes I feel really gross and I know I just need to hit a few yoga poses to help the blood flow.

- Wear your dress around the house a little to help it take shape to your body better.