Happy 4th of July weekend! I hope you are having a great time and ready for some fireworks! It seems that most parties / picnics seem to be happening today and tomorrow so I thought I'd start off the morning with some tips and suggestions that I have for staying on track through these challenging scenarios. Sure, it's not a big deal if you indulge in some treats or maybe a drink or two. It's not a big deal if you spend some time relaxing either! I get it! In fact, I am heading to a family party today and am definitely planning on having a little dessert, BUT, I am also going to have that balance. How? Because I am planning out my day as best as I can! Yep, when I did my meal plan for the week I planned generally what I would be eating today since I'd be at an all day party. Sure, it's a little tedious, but it helps me to stay on track and that's what matters to me!
So, aside from making my plan, here are my top 5 tips that I will be following today!
1. Eat small meals throughout the day. When it comes to picnics, there is typically a large spread of food to choose from. It's easy to fill your plate with a little bit of everything but if you do that, your plate ends up containing almost as much food as you should be eating for the entire day! Don't have the concept of not eating breakfast and starving yourself so that you "have room" for all of the food. Your body will go in to starvation mode and end up storing all of the fat! It's much better to balance out your day by eating about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
2. Don't skip your workout. Yep, I said it! Get up and get moving! Chances are you are going to be eating some foods that you aren't used to on a daily basis, including desserts and some drinks. So, get your heart pumping and get a good sweat in (preferably in the morning in my opinion) so that your body can start burning calories. If you are traveling you can pull up Beachbody on Demand and squeeze in a quick 25 minute cardio workout. You can even switch things up by going to a hotel gym, going on a short run or even a walk! Just don't make the mistake of scheduling a rest day on a cheat day!
3. Stay hydrated. Umm.....I don't mean with alcohol! I mean with WATER!! Did you know you should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water every single day? Fill up your water bottle and take it with you these next couple of days! Add a lemon, lime, kiwi, or strawberries for some natural flavor if you don't like plain water. A lot of times our body confuses thirst for hunger and we end up over eating. So, when you feel hungry but you just ate, drink a glass of water and wait about 20 minutes.
As for the alcohol, truth be told, I'm not much of a drinker but I know many of you are! So, stay away from the sugar loaded Daiquiris, Pina Coladas, Margaritas, and other fruity drinks. Even beer and wine can be sugar and carb loaded so just limit yourself. How about for every alcoholic drink you have drink a glass of water first. Deal?! I've learned from my healthy friends who enjoy a drink or two that having some like soda water and vodka is a good option. You can add some lemon or lime to that too!
4. Don't socialize with the chip basket in front of you! Mindless eating at its best! I've learned this lesson SOOOO many times! You know what I mean, eating those greasy chips that you really don't normally care for anyway? Next thing you know your hands are a mess, your belly is hurting, and the chip basket is empty. How about this: Go grab a plate with some fruit and veggies. That way if you feel the need to munch on something while chatting it's at least healthy.
5. Take a healthy appetizer with you. If you are hosting a picnic then you have a good bit of control as to what you can personally serve. If you are attending a picnic then do yourself a favor and take something healthy! At least you know you have your dish that you can munch on! What can you bring? Well, if you are looking for some sort of dessert / fruit / kid friendly option then click HERE!
You can certainly check out the side dishes under the Clean Eating Recipes tab right here on my blog. The Bean Salsa and Southwestern Salad are always a huge hit!
There you have it! My top 5 tips to survive these holiday picnics that you may be attending these next couple of days! I wish you and your family a safe, healthy and Happy 4th!
So, aside from making my plan, here are my top 5 tips that I will be following today!
1. Eat small meals throughout the day. When it comes to picnics, there is typically a large spread of food to choose from. It's easy to fill your plate with a little bit of everything but if you do that, your plate ends up containing almost as much food as you should be eating for the entire day! Don't have the concept of not eating breakfast and starving yourself so that you "have room" for all of the food. Your body will go in to starvation mode and end up storing all of the fat! It's much better to balance out your day by eating about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
2. Don't skip your workout. Yep, I said it! Get up and get moving! Chances are you are going to be eating some foods that you aren't used to on a daily basis, including desserts and some drinks. So, get your heart pumping and get a good sweat in (preferably in the morning in my opinion) so that your body can start burning calories. If you are traveling you can pull up Beachbody on Demand and squeeze in a quick 25 minute cardio workout. You can even switch things up by going to a hotel gym, going on a short run or even a walk! Just don't make the mistake of scheduling a rest day on a cheat day! 
As for the alcohol, truth be told, I'm not much of a drinker but I know many of you are! So, stay away from the sugar loaded Daiquiris, Pina Coladas, Margaritas, and other fruity drinks. Even beer and wine can be sugar and carb loaded so just limit yourself. How about for every alcoholic drink you have drink a glass of water first. Deal?! I've learned from my healthy friends who enjoy a drink or two that having some like soda water and vodka is a good option. You can add some lemon or lime to that too!
4. Don't socialize with the chip basket in front of you! Mindless eating at its best! I've learned this lesson SOOOO many times! You know what I mean, eating those greasy chips that you really don't normally care for anyway? Next thing you know your hands are a mess, your belly is hurting, and the chip basket is empty. How about this: Go grab a plate with some fruit and veggies. That way if you feel the need to munch on something while chatting it's at least healthy.
5. Take a healthy appetizer with you. If you are hosting a picnic then you have a good bit of control as to what you can personally serve. If you are attending a picnic then do yourself a favor and take something healthy! At least you know you have your dish that you can munch on! What can you bring? Well, if you are looking for some sort of dessert / fruit / kid friendly option then click HERE! You can certainly check out the side dishes under the Clean Eating Recipes tab right here on my blog. The Bean Salsa and Southwestern Salad are always a huge hit!
There you have it! My top 5 tips to survive these holiday picnics that you may be attending these next couple of days! I wish you and your family a safe, healthy and Happy 4th!
