Whether it’s a wedding, holiday party, work event, big girl’s night out, or a hot date, it’s natural to want to show up looking your best. While I’m not a fan of extreme fads and quick-fixes — because they aren’t realistic to maintain — there are a few lifestyle adjustments you can adopt right now that will have you looking and feeling your best in no time.
Cut The Carbs, Sugar, and Sodium
When it comes to my day-to-day, I follow the 90/10 way of eating. It’s where you eat fresh, wholesome foods 90% of the time and allow yourself to enjoy something more indulgent the other 10% of the time. This doesn’t mean stuffing your face for 2 out of your 21 meals a week: It just means you eat mostly food for fuel and throw desserts and splurges in here and there to keep you satisfied and sane. But, a week before a big event or appearance, you may want to consider ditching the junk altogether. That’s because carbs, sugar, and sodium are known to make your body retain excess water and bloat. Hey, it’s just a week!
Ditch High-Calorie Drinks
A little almond milk in your morning cup of Joe is totally fine. But it’s easy to go overboard on the lattes, hot cocos, processed juices, and sodas. Those calories add up quickly and do nothing for your weight loss efforts. In fact, too many of these drinks can just leave you with belly bloat and a sluggish feeling. Random fact: Some people even get bloated after sparkling water so it might be best to avoid anything carbonated.
Drink Lots Of Water Instead
Sure, you want to ditch sugar-filled drinks and high-calorie beverages. But, staying hydrated is essential for weight loss, beating belly bloat, and achieving glowy skin. That’s right — drinking enough water will actually help keep your skin look healthy and hydrated! Grab a cute water bottle and make it your best accessory. Fill it up throughout the day and keep swigging. When you feel hungry between meals, before reaching for a snack to satisfy tummy grumbles, try drinking water. Often times, we think we’re hungry when we’re really just thirsty. P.S. Keep this up even after your big event … obviously.
Get Moving
Setting aside time for regular yoga, barre, spin, Zumba, or CrossFit classes is a great way to shed the extra lbs. Plus, it does a whole lot more than just move the number on your scale. Daily exercise gets your blood pumping, endorphins flowing, and energy level soaring. Overall, a good sweat session just makes you feel and look amazing. No time for a fancy workout? Just move. Walk when you can, do some pushups in between meetings, sneak movement in everywhere.
Meditate
Don’t let this stress you out, but our mental and emotional state has a huge impact on our skin. Constant stress and anxiety show up on our faces and can actually lead to wrinkles. Daily meditation has proven to relax our nerves, ease our minds, improve mood, and boost our self-esteem. This all helps slow down the aging process. Sounds like a win-win!
Nourish Your Skin
The week before a big event, try going makeup-free to let your skin rest. But don’t just ignore your body’s largest organ (AKA the skin). During your makeup-free time, focus on cleansing and moisturizing. If a professional facial isn’t in your budget, try at-home toners, masks, oils, and moisturizers.
Exfoliate
Many of us are so busy, by the time we’re ready to shuffle off to bed, we’re lucky if we have enough energy to take our makeup off. But, rubbing a makeup remover wipe across your face and calling it a night isn’t going to get you the best skin.
Taking a few minutes to exfoliate removes the dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin and offers up huge benefits. It can help counteract signs of aging, stop breakouts, make skin smoother, improve skin tone, and brighten your complexion.
Here’s how it works: Start by removing your makeup and washing your face. Then, apply an exfoliating scrub. If you’re doing a mechanical exfoliant then you’ll use a brush or washcloth. If you’re using a chemical exfoliant then you’ll just use your hands. Then, rinse off your face with lukewarm water and pat dry. Finish with your moisture or skincare routine.
Sleep
We all know we’re supposed to get 8 hours of sleep each night. But, how many do you really get? 7? 6? Or maybe you only get 5! Here’s another thing to think about: What is the quality of your sleep? Do you toss and turn at night? While it may be easier said than done, getting enough quality sleep before a big event is essential. Lack of sleep impacts our weight, mood, and skin (I’ll go out on a limb and say no one lines showing up to an event with big, dark bags under their eyes)! If you struggle to get your zzzzzs, check out this article, highlighting 6 bedtime rituals to improve your sleep.
