How to Banish Belly Bloat Before Your Wedding Day

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If a bulging belly is the result of too few gym trips or too many drinks at too many bridal showers, we can’t help you. You can’t flatten your stomach overnight. However, we do know how to banish temporary belly bloat.

After working your abs for months leading up to the big day, there would be nothing worse than seeing your waist work wasted by a day-before indulgence (P.F. Chang’s fried rice is a no-no). After all, there’s no room for a pooch when you’re shimmying your way into that all-lace gown with an unforgiving silhouette.

That said, here’s what your day-before-your-big-day plan should look like to ensure a flat tummy:

• Pass on the saltshaker and forgo salty foods, even the sneaky ones, like canned veggie soup and cottage cheese. Water loves sodium. The result? Water retention. And a puffier you. To get rid of water, drink tons of it—a surefire way to also flush out excess salt.
• Despite being super-healthy, foods like broccoli, onions, and brussel sprouts create excess gas. If you want a flat belly for a big event, skip them the day before and the day of.
• Nervous energy is best spent at the gym, not flapping your gums on chewing gum. Gum makes you swallow air, which gets trapped in your belly, causing a puffy stomach.
• Put down the Perrier. Step away from the soda. Fizz in the glass means air in the belly. Reach for non-carbonated drinks, like peppermint tea, a known gas blaster.
• Snack attack? Don’t grab crunchy baby carrots, even though they’re perfect for long-term healthy eating. Raw veggies stay in the stomach longer, making you look and feel bloated. Instead, lightly steam your vegetables.

A local spa trip for a contouring tummy wrap is another indulgence to lose a couple inches. Inches waste away quickly, but reappear just as quickly, so don’t count on this for anything other than a 24-hour slimming, which, granted, might be all you need to get you through the big day.

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