30-Day Plan to Your Best Body Ever

Dos

Just breathe: "Deep-breathing exercises will restore you to a calm place,” says Naomi Whittel, founder and CEO of Reserveage Nutrition. "Count to 7 as you inhale, exhale to another 7 counts. Do this 7 times and then return to your activity refreshed and calm. I promise, the flutters will quiet."

Guilt-free eating: "Instead of beating yourself up for a very questionable food choice, try the 3:1 rule,” says Victoria Yoffie, holistic integrative therapist and founder of YoffieLife.com. “For every not-so-great food choice in one day, add three healthful choices." Think green, clean, non-processed cuisine. “That way you crowd out the bad with the good."

"Put yourself first and start your day with a 16-ounce glass of cold water with a squeeze of fresh lemon." Lemon is an alkalinizer, working to restore your body’s pH level, which results in more energy and glowing skin.

Keep moving: Crunched for time? "Short 5-10 minute workouts give you the same after-burn (calories burned at a higher rate post-workout) as do longer sessions," says Sadie Lincoln, founder of the Barre3 fitness program. Try a few rounds of jumping jacks in the a.m.; take a brisk walk at lunch.

Yoffie’s a proponent of the classic plank: "Start by holding a plank for 30 seconds, increasing the time by 30 seconds every 5 days," she says. "There’s always time to add an extra couple of minutes of toning work at the start or end of your day."

Don'ts:

"Don’t skimp on sleep," says Melissa O’Shea, director of nutrition at Exhale Mind Body Spa. "Too little sleep can increase cravings for sugar, lead to poor food choices and ultimately undermine weight-loss efforts."

Don’t overtrain: “Once you’ve had your final dress fitting — usually two or three weeks before the big day — focus on maintaining your current weight. There’s no point in shedding more pounds and ending up with an ill-fitting dress,” says trainer Greg Doyle, creator of the WeddingGym program.

Wind down your workouts: "Avoid heavy workouts right before the big day," Doyle says. "Overdoing can lead to inflammation and water retention—which is not a good look. Limit your exercise to 2 or 3 sessions that final week, finishing up a few days before the wedding."

Put the phone away: "Whatever you do, do not sleep with your smartphone beside you," Whittel says. "And don’t look at your phone first thing in the morning."

Photo Credit: Christopher Robbins