Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day, and unless you're an exception, you're probably finding yourself hitting the gym and saying no to dessert a little more than usual. As if fitting into your dream wedding gown perfectly wasn't stressful enough, Indian brides are expected to make their way down the aisle bearing a midriff! I'm here to tell you not to fear, Maharanis. You can be bare belly ready for your bridal lengha with a bit of planning and motivation! Here are three tips to making you look your best on your wedding day!

1. HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training. Truly the best way to burn fat and shed inches, HIIT is every Hollywood trainer’s secret to great, lasting results. Here is how it works. By pushing your heart rate into anaerobic zones for 30-90 second intervals, followed by a short recovery, HIIT is the most effective way to burn calories and super charge your metabolism so you subsequently burn more calories resting for the preceding 24-36 hours. The more you do it, the better the results. Aim for HIIT at least 4 times a week, 5 is optimal and 6 times only if you can safely do it. Rest is a key component to not being injured and ensuring you are pushing yourself to your maximum every single workout. HIIT can be found at a variety of studios like Barry’s Bootcamp, SoulCycle and CrossFit. Our favorite HIIT workout is doing stadium stairs, which requires running up as fast as possible, then walking down. Repeat for 15-45 minutes.

2. Diet: You can workout as much as humanly possible, but if it isn’t coupled with clean eating, you are not going to see results. Period. Diet consists of 70% of the results you see in the mirror, so listen up Maharanis!

Carbs. Are they really the new enemy of the diet world? I am here to tell you they aren’t entirely terrible! If you are doing HIIT workouts, it is almost impossible to go entirely carb free. The key is to eat the right type of carbs. Focus on whole grains and say no to wheat and white flour. Whole grain carbs include oatmeal, Ezekiel bread (yes, I know it tastes like cardboard, but it’s only for a few months before your wedding), brown rice and quinoa. If you are really craving a simple starch, try to reach for gluten-free options like rice or potatoes. Gluten causes bloating, which is working against your wedding lengha!

Dairy. I know, I know. Everyone is going to hate me when I say this. Dairy causes bloating, so just skip it as much as possible. It takes about 21 days for dairy to fully leave your system. So it’s time to start skipping it now! You can substitute with almond or soy, but watch out for those hidden sugars. Some of those milk alternatives are loaded with just as much sugar as ice cream!

Water. 2 liters every day. No excuses about it. Don't gulp all your daily H2O intake at once. It makes your organs work harder than necessary, and with all your working out, you will need to keep hydrated to keep your energy levels up, so drink spread your water intake out and drink regularly throughout the day. Also, make sure you are starting your morning with 2 glasses of water as soon as you wake up (before coffee or Instagram!) — bonus points for hot water with lemon!

3. Sleep! Rest is the most important part of looking and feeling your best. Did you know that even missing one night of full 7-9 hours of sleep will increase your cortisol levels which increases fat storage? And guess where? Around your belly! Lack of sleep also makes you feel hungry when you are not, and causes you to crave sugar for that easy pick me up. Getting up early to work on seating charts, workout or just stare at your wedding lengha is all okay. Just make sure you turn off Netflix by 10pm, and hit the sack!

Remember, preparing for your wedding should be fun and motivating. If at any point it becomes stressful or negative, you have our full Maharani approval to blow it off. You are totally perfect and beautiful the way you are!