Photo: Ace Photography

You're about to shop for the most important outfit of your life — your wedding dress. That's a lot of pressure! Dress shopping is a marathon, not a sprint. Here's how to fuel up for a successful shopping trip.

Have protein in the morning.

For breakfast don't just have toast — you need protein like a hardboiled egg or Greek yogurt to keep you satisfied and full. “Or have leftovers from dinner! Many cultures eat more protein and vegetables than we do here where we love our sugary carbs like doughnuts for breakfast,” says Carlene Thomas, RDN, author of The Wedding Wellness Workbook: Your Nutrition How-To Before “I Do.” “Another easy way to have a balanced breakfast is to make a to-go smoothie with fruit, veggies and protein. It's also going to be packed with fiber from the produce which will keep you full.”

Drink up.

Getting dehydrated makes you tired and hungry. So remember to bring a water bottle with you to sip on when you get thirsty.

Don't forget to eat!

“Never, never skip meals, especially for long days that can be emotional. Being hangry— angry and hungry— is totally a thing and it can ruin your experience,” says Thomas. “If you're way under-eating your brain might not even be getting the energy it needs to make decisions. Make sure you're having balanced bites, not just veggies, so you're satisfied and full and energized the whole day. Instead of just greens on a plate, you need to throw in a healthy fat like nuts or avocado or a protein like beans and lentils or chicken.”

Bring snacks.

For a balanced snack, pair fruit or veggies with whole grains and fat or protein, says Thomas. Good examples: Low-fat string cheese with Wasa crackers, or a banana and peanut butter. If you don't have time to bring nibbles from home, you can find healthy snacks in plenty of places, says Thomas. Some of her faves: Sabra hummus to go packs, Starbucks protein or chicken and hummus boxes, dry roasted nori (seaweed) like Sea Snax, and single-serving packs of olives called Oloves.

This article was written by Sunny Gold for Brides.com.