Memorial Day tends to mark the beginning of Summer travel. The first 3 day weekend of good weather, many kids are out of school, and the need to shake of a long winter and spring is clear.
Before losing over 100 pounds, I used these weekends as total free-for-alls. Drinks, food, skipping workouts, not drinking enough water, you name it.
After 6 years of a healthy lifestyle I now know how to have a great time, enjoy my holiday, and not end up regretting the whole thing. There is nothing worse than feeling like one weekend set you back weeks, or even months, on a fitness journey.
Having a Summer BBQ at Your Place?
Spending the Weekend Away with Friends?
Visiting Family?
I can help! Below are my 10 best tips for having a healthier summer holiday weekend:
1. Plan Ahead: No matter what you are doing for your holiday weekend, there are ways to make sure it doesn’t derail you. It really all starts with your mindset, so the fact that you’re reading this is a great start. Having a PLAN is key! Just winging it has never worked for anyone, so sit down and look at your weekend. Times, activities, foods, people, etc. and use this list to make a solid plan of a healthy AND fun weekend for yourself.
2. Tell Friends and Family Your Plans: Accountability is key! Often times people don’t want to share their goals with people, because they are afraid they will fail. Being with people who don’t know you are trying to better yourself is a guaranteed way to to do just that. If you don’t tell them, you have permission to cheat, throw your plan out the window, and say screw it. That is NOT going to help you when you are facing temptation.
3. Contribute Your Own Food: I have a rule about parties and potlucks. I always bring something I’d be willing to take home with me! I don’t just get the depressing grocery veggie tray either. I find a fun recipe that I think would be great and I bring it. At least I know that I will have something to eat even if no one else brings a healthy choice.
4. Make the Best Available Choice: At most events, and holiday weekend gatherings, you really DO have healthier options, but we use the celebration as an excuse to make the poor choice. If you see guacamole and dip, guac is the clear choice. Cheese covered Doritios vs a fresh toritilla chip or popcorn is a no brainer. Ditch the chemical laden cheese dust! Quinoa salad or cream cheese ball? I think you get my poing. Make it a goal to have the healthiest looking plate. Maybe even promise to text a picture of it to your Success Partner or Free Online Coach!
5. Avoid Excessive Sleep: I know it can seem like we never get enough sleep. With so many demands on our time it can feel like you’ll never catch up and you’re always tired. Oversleeping on vacation is not the key to feeling more rested. Oversleeping is going to leave you just as tired and lethargic as under sleeping, only now you’ve missed hours of the weekend you’ve been looking forward to! The ideal amount of sleep for weight loss is between 7-8 hours, even on a holiday, so GET UP and start your day.
6. Start the Day with Something Active: Now that you’re up, start the day by doing something that will get your blood moving. Maybe plan a 5K near you, for everyone that weekend, or get up and pop in a quick 25 Minute workout like T25, before everyone else is up. You can use your Free Trial of Beachbody On Demand to do a workout anywhere with wifi, so there are no excuses. Starting your day this way will have you wanting to make better choices all day. Plus, if you do splurge a little, at least you burned some calories early on.
7. Stay on a Regular Eating Schedule: Just because there is a big BBQ at 3, doesn’t mean you skip your regular meals. Staying on a schedule of eating every 2-3 hours will keep your metabolism up, and your body won’t be super confused when you get back to work next week. Get up on time and eat your breakfast, if you normally have your Shakeology as a mid-morning snack, stick to it! Staying on track will keep your body fed, which should keep you away from those late night refrigerator raids.
8. Swap Mixers or Alcohol for Sparkling Water: Skip those sugar mixers and go with a flavored sparkling water instead! Alcohol already dehydrates you, and chances are you aren’t as on top of your water when you’re off your routine, so why not limit the damage there. There are a lot ways to skip the cocktails all together, by mixing your favorite sparkling waters with lime juice or other normal drink garnishes. That will keep your decision making intact, and increase your chances of staying on plan!
9. Prep and Plan for the Following Week: I never go on a trip without a plan already in place for when I get back. I make sure I have a meal plan ready to go. I often meal prep before I even leave for the weekend. For longer trips I have my shopping list made, and time to shop worked into my schedule as soon as I get back. If you don’t have a plan, your 3 day holiday weekend can quickly turn into a 3 week back slide. Depending on where you live, you might even be able to order groceries in advance. I recently used Instacart and got $10 off and free delivery using THIS LINK. It was great because I had no worries when I got home!
10. Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Get Home and Relax: If you’re like me, you never want the party to end. I have been the queen of planes that land at 11 pm on Monday night, when I have to work Tuesday, or still having a drink in my hand when I should probably be going to bed. Make sure you set a time to get home, unpack, shower, plan your week, get to bed, and recover a little bit. The worst feeling is the “I need a vacation from my vacation” post-trip hangover. If you plan well, and take advantage of all the hours you do have, there is no reason you’ll be missing out on anything when it comes time to head home and get ready for another healthy week.
I know you can make great choices and end your summer trip feeling proud of yourself! I believe in you =)
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