Diet guide into fitting in that dress --- 3 days before

Lately, I have been attending a lot of weekend parties (mostly weddings with some birthdays in between).  For some of these events, I have been wearing this blue dress that I bought recently.  It has great A-line shape, pretty blue color, and looked great on me the first time I tried it on.  Recently, I've been noticing that I feel like I look (to put it mildly) not as slim as I used to (compared to the previous times that I wore the dress).  I know I haven't really gained weight so it can't be that.  I thought I was just being paranoid and weird about it, until I read an article a few weeks back.  It's from a local newspaper about fitting into a dress 3 days before the party.  It's basically about what not to eat (and what to eat as well) for the 2-3 days before an event so as not to make you look (and feel) bloated.  It was definitely an 'Aha!' moment for me because I realized that I've been stuffing myself silly with food or drinks that made me bloated and as such, made me feel like I was heavier/bigger in my dress than I really was.

You may jump here to read the rest of the article but I've listed below some of the Do's and Don'ts from US-certified fitness nutritionist-chef Nadine Tengco.

First up, the DON'Ts:
1.  Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower (or any vegetable that belongs to the cabbage family).  They are high in fiber which could cause stomach distension (sorta like bloating).  Actually, any raw veggie should be avoided.

2.  All beans, legumes, nuts (and yes, that includes peanut butter).  Again with the stomach distension.

3.  Apple, pear, grapes.  May cause bloating.

4.  Cola or anything fizzy.  This will bloat you (not surprising there).

5.  Dairy.  I think this one depends on the person in terms of sensitivity or allergic reaction with dairy products.

6.  Food with artificial preservatives (e.g. cured meats and artificial sweeteners).

Now for the DOs:
1.  Ginger, luyang dilaw (tumeric), lemongrass.  Made into a tea or added to broths or soups.  I think this one helps in detoxification.  Whenever I have stomach issues, I would usually drink ginger tea (freshly made) and I swear it decreases any uneasiness in my stomach.

2.  Go for cooked green leafy vegetables (except for the ones from the cabbage family).

3.  Coffee and tea.  In moderation and definitely the freshly brewed type (for the coffee) and not the powdered or bottled type for the tea.

4.  Lots of water to help in the flushing of toxins and stops the bloating.  Actually, buko (coconut) juice also helps too (but only in moderation since a cup contains 45 calories already).

5.  Rice.  The ideal intake would be 1/2 cup of rice (max.) or equivalent to 1/3 of plate.

6.  For your protein, any lean meat, chicken, or fish.  Approximately 85-115 grams (again 1/3 of the plate).

7.  Around 6-8 hours of sleep and no later than 11 PM.  Lack of sleep stresses the body (don't I know that.  Every morning I wake up with bags under my eyes that reminds me how much I've been stressing).

Though surprising that some healthy foods were listed on the Don'ts part, it seems that they are only not advised to be eaten 48-72 hours before the impending event that you want to look hot for (a wedding comes to mind!).  Other than that, they should be part of your regular diet.

I will definitely keep these pointers in mind 3 days before our wedding next year.