Going to the chapel and you’re going to look faaab-u-lous. And you deserve to look fabulous—after all, it’s one of the most important days of your life.  But if you want to shed pounds before the big day, you need an action plan that will nudge you in the right direction. Here are tips for losing weight before your wedding day:

1. Start as soon as possible. Don’t add to wedding stress by waiting until the week before the big day to start losing weight. Begin making changes to diet and exercise as soon as possible so you can have steady, healthy weight loss.
2. Set short-term goals. It can feel overwhelming if you need to lose a lot of weight. So rather than focusing on a giant goal like, for example, losing 50 lbs by the wedding date, break it down into smaller, reachable goals, such as losing 5 or 10 lbs a month between now and the big event.
3. Commit to a workout plan. You don’t need a gym membership or tons of time to shape up. Try our 6 Week Emergency Makeover, an easy-to-follow plan that includes everything you need to lose weight, from meal plans to guided workouts. (Did we mention it probably costs less than your most recent fast food meal?)
4. Tone up. Cardio is critical for losing weight, but to look wedding day fab you’ll also want to tone the body parts you’ll be showing off. Does your dream dress put your arms on display? Check out this Summer Arms Challenge (maybe we should rename it the Strapless Wedding Dress Arms Challenge).
5. Schedule workouts. Don’t let exercise time get lost in the wedding busyness shuffle. Add workouts to your calendar—and make sure you stick to that commitment.
6. Make smart diet changes. Drop excess pounds by eating a sensible diet. Clean eating is a simple lifestyle change that eliminates the processed foods, excess sugar, and added sodium that adds bulk and flab. The focus instead is on choosing tasty, natural ingredients that nourish the body. See how easy it is to make the switch with 7 Simple Steps to Eat Clean.
7. Be portion smart. Even if you adjust your diet to include more fruits, veggies, and whole grains, you won’t reach your weight loss goal if you’re eating too much. Up your portion IQ with Portion Control: Simple Ways to Cut Calories for Weight Loss.
8. Keep healthy snacks handy. Spending the day running wedding errands can leave you hungry and tired, which makes it easy to fall into the fast food trap. When you’re on the go, keep plenty of healthy munchies on hand. Think apples, homemade trail mix, or one of these 15 Grab-n-Go Snacks.
9. Buddy with a bridesmaid. Chances are good a bridesmaid or someone else in the wedding party (maybe your future mother-in-law?) wants to shed weight for the wedding, too. Partner with that person during workouts—the extra motivation will keep both of you moving when you think you can’t possibly crank out one more lunge.

Start making changes now that will help you lose weight for your wedding day. Best wishes!