The weather is cooling down, we’re all ready to bundle up in sweaters and it’s peak season for pumpkin pie, cookies and peppermint mochas. Add in the stress of wedding planning and the temptation to abandon your kitchen in favor of dinner out with friends, and it seems nearly impossible not to gain a few pounds this fall!

But fear not, wedding planners! You can still fit in that dress as long as you keep making smart choices at every meal. If you need a little help, check out this fun new Menu Decoder on the Eat This, Not That website. You can select what style of restaurant you’re visiting and then scan through the menu to find out what’s your healthiest option (and what you should stay away from).

I’m thrilled to hear that pad thai and potato skins are healthy options to indulge in! What’s your favorite nutritious pick for dining out?

For some reason, a bug seems to hit every woman who gets engaged–the diet bug.  Workouts get longer, meals get smaller and your favorite indulgences suddenly become temptations from the dark side.  I think my wedding day will always be the day I was in the best shape of my life.  Regardless, I like to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but with a raging sweet tooth, that’s hard to do.  Thankfully, I’ve found some amazing treats that fit in to my life–I only wish I’d found them sooner!

• Vita-Muffins:  These amazing 100 calorie muffins are now my breakfast staple-I have one a day and I’m still not sick of them.  Not only that, each muffin contains 4-7 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and 15 vitamins and mineral.  Sold as both muffins and muffin tops (yum!), they come in a variety of flavors and are available for ordering both online and in many local grocery stores (I get mine at Safeway in the frozen foods section!)  My favorite flavor is Deep Chocolate, with gooey chocolate chips, they taste like they’re fresh out of the oven!

• Holey Donuts:   Having just heard about these fat-defying donuts, I have yet to try them, but I’m eager to do so. With only 4 grams of fat and anywhere from 148 to 350 calories, these donuts will curb your cravings without the guilt.  They aren’t fried (the process to make them is a well-kept secret) and they are only available online, but after reading this review from The Daily Balance (and checking out all of the delectable photos), I’m whipping out my credit card.  The Daily Balance post also has a discount for its’ readers, so be sure to give it a look.

• Sugar Free Fudgesicle Pops: Although these pops don’t have a ton of added nutritional value, they don’t destroy a diet either.  In fact, they were well-known a while back as being Oprah’s treat of choice.  They’re great on a hot summer day when you are just dying for ice cream.  Two pops are only 88 calories, 1 gram of fat and even offer 3 grams of protien (score!).  Indulge without the guilt!

Remember, anything is okay in moderation, and no diet will work without one cheat day a week.  You don’t want to drive yourself crazy!  Happy health to all!

I’ve been battling a horrible cold for the last week, complete with a loud, hacking cough that I’m pretty sure has driven my entire office insane.  Luckily, it’s just a normal week for me and I don’t have any special events coming up, so I can take my time healing.

I wasn’t so lucky in this department around my wedding.  About a month before, I caught yet another horrible cold that resulted in bronchitis and laryngitis–and it reached its peak on my bachelorette party weekend!  Needless to say, the old trick of downing whiskey for a sore throat has never been so welcome.  I powered through the weekend, and now, my illness is just a vague memory compared to the fun I had.  I’m just thankful that I wasn’t plagued with on my actual wedding day.

Sadly, with the stress and craziness leading up to the day of your wedding, it has to be a reality for some brides.  What would you do if you were sick on your wedding day? Is there anyone out there that powered through illness on the day of your wedding?

I hope for the sake of all sick brides out there that you are able to get past the illness and remember only the joy, happiness and celebration of the wedding day.  If you want to avoid getting sick before your wedding, The Knot offers these tips for staying healthy before the wedding.  And, the blog at MyWeddingFavors.com has some tips for sick brides to keep you looking your best!

Remember, try to relax, eat well and take your vitamins!  With the right effort, you can stay healthy for your big day.