5 Last-Ditch Diet Tricks for the Bride to Be

You've trained hard; filled your fridge, freezer, and pantry with healthy fare; and been diligent about getting your H20. But despite all that, a little bit of flab lingers. Don't give up-or turn to a crash diet in desperation! These diet tweaks are designed to help you banish bloat and rev up your metabolism without the sluggishness, hunger, irritability, and other side effects of crazy "miracle" plans. Work them into your diet in the two to four weeks before your wedding and we promise you'll love the results.

Flatten your belly with fiber Excess body fat isn't the only thing that leads to tummy bulge: About 80 percent of us struggle with constipation at some point. While brief periods of irregularity are normal, they can make the scale creep up and cause that little extra pooch. The easy solution: Up your intake of soluble fiber, found in apples, citrus fruits, seeds, and beans. "This sticky fiber soaks up water to form a gel-like substance that stimulates the muscles of your digestive system so they contract and push waste through faster," says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D., a spokes-woman for the American Dietetic Association. A simple way to boost your intake: Sprinkle chia seeds (found at health food stores) or ground flaxseed into yogurt or a smoothie.

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Add healthy bacteria Yogurt and kefir contain probiotics, such as acidophilus, which may be a hidden factor in weight control. Everyone has bacteria in their digestive system, but if you're overweight, it may be because the blend of those bugs is causing you to absorb more calories from the food you eat. "Getting more pro-biotics in your diet can change the balance of bacteria," says Steven Pratt, M.D., author of SuperHealth. And that can lead to weight loss.

"C" yourself slimmer A study in Nutrition & Metabolism found that exercisers who skimp on the vitamin burn 25 percent less fat during workouts. "Vitamin C helps produce carnitine, an amino acid that helps you use fat for energy. If there is too little carnitine in your tissues, your body will use carbohydrates or protein for fuel," says lead study author Carol S. Johnston, Ph.D., R.D., a professor and the director of the nutrition program at Arizona State University, who published the study. "Not only does this reduce the amount of fat you burn, but you're also more likely to feel fatigued when exercising." Johnston advises aiming for at least 100 milligrams daily, about the amount in 10 large strawberries, one small red pepper, one large orange, or 1 cup of cooked broccoli.

Swap carbs for spinach A cup of this leafy green packs just 41 calories-five times less than a cup of cooked brown rice or whole-wheat pasta-making it a better side dish option in these crucial last weeks. This superfood may be light on calories and carbs, but it's rich in more than a dozen stress-fighting antioxidants. Try it sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil with chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, and a dash of chili oil. Or serve it in a salad topped with strawberries, minced red onion, and a few pecans.

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Crank up the fat burn
Capsaicin, the natural substance in peppers that gives them their heat, helps you use more calories, even at rest-and every little bit helps. "Studies show that eating the amount of capsaicin found in one small chili pepper at meals may boost metabolism by 23 percent in the short term," says Julie Upton, M.S., R.D., co-author of Energy to Burn. In other research, people who got about a gram of red pepper in capsule form or stirred into tomato juice before they sat down to eat cut their calorie intake by 16 percent over the course of the day, but didn't feel deprived. Try using fresh chilies or peppery Thai, Indian, or Latin seasonings to spice up your meals.

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