With the holiday weekend coming up, many of us are heading out of town today for that last taste of summer, so I thought I’d share my top 3 tips for staying on track with your health and fitness over the weekend.

Weekends have always been my Achilles heel when it comes to what I eat and my exercise. And with a holiday weekend, I know that there is a greater challenge. There’s nothing I hate more than waking up following a long weekend upset with myself because I couldn’t pull it together and eat properly. So here are my three tips for what to do to stay on track over this holiday weekend:

Order Smart. If you’re going to a restaurant, choose lean cuts of meat or fish. Ask for your dressing on the side. And have a vegetable or two. Stay away from things like the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, or triple chocolate cake. If you know what restaurant you are going to, go online before you leave the house and look at the menu. Think about what will work with your lifestyle so you have a plan walking in. This same concept works for amusement parks, fairs and festivals as well. Many will have a list of participating vendors and their menus. A little preplanning will go a long way.
If you’re going to a party, have a bit to eat before you go and drink water. If you have a little something to eat before you head out, you’ll be more likely to pass up on the appetizer tray or heavy dips. Have a little yogurt or some almonds – something that will fill you up a bit. I personally will break my fast much later in the day, have a small meal, and then head out to the party. I won’t be hungry and it’s that much easier to pass up on all the appetizers before dinner. If you’re going to drink alcohol, have a glass of water between your glasses of wine or beer.
Commit to staying on track. It’s so easy to tell yourself the weekend is time to go crazy. Instead, skip breakfast and get your workout in. Enjoy time outside and be active. And, indulge but do so in a smart way. If you’re in The FASTer Way to Fat Loss program, we strategically place leg day on Saturday to allow for some little indulgences. We’re working big muscles and torching calories, so go ahead and have that dessert.

In our program, we also stress progress over perfection and we all indulge every now and then and it’s ok. Life happens. Just focus and get back on track!

Using these tips, you’ll stay on track so you don’t undo all that awesome work you’ve done during the week. If you have other tips for how you stay on track over the weekend, share them in the comments. Feel free to tag a friend or share with others who may be looking for ways to stay on track this weekend as well.