It’s the 4th of July! That usually means BBQ’s, boating, burgers, friends, hot dogs, and swimsuits.  Did I mention food?  This holiday makes me think of a few things. Besides sunburn and sunscreen (in that order…) It also brings up thoughts of friends, boating, hot dogs & burgers on the grill, watermelon, chips, and beers or cocktails.  A lot of those things can be a big hindrance to your fitness or weight loss goals, especially the friends… 😉   But here are a few tips that I hope will help you stay on track, and still have all the fun!

Tip #1  Workout in the AM

If you have big plans for the afternoon, like a BBQ or going to the lake, and getting together with those troublesome friends, then get your workout done in the morning.  You and I both know that if you leave it until after that BBQ or boating trip it will never get done.  Get up, get moving, and keep your fitness goals on track.

Tip #2  Drink your H2O

Drinking water will be a big one today. Drink a few glasses this morning before you venture out for the day.  Water will not only keep you hydrated while you are out in the sun (I really hope it gets sunny…) and having a few drinks, but it will also help to keep you feeling more full so you don’t overeat when you get to the line with those chips and burgers.

Tip #3 Moderation

Moderation is the key to success in my opinion. You can have a beer or cocktail of your choosing. You can have some of those chips and dip. You can eat a hot dog, and you can even have it in a bun. You can even have all of those things the same meal! I know, that’s crazy talk!  But seriously, you can have some of them… don’t eat four hot dogs, a whole plate of chips and dip, and wash it down with 8 beers. Would you like to know how many calories that is?  Good, that is 2186 calories…. and yes, I went with the light beers.  That is a whole day’s worth of calories for most people.   So don’t shy away from the BBQ foods you love, but be mindful and don’t overeat them if you aren’t hungry.

Tip #4  Have fun

There are a lot of things you can stress over if you have fitness goals, but stressing won’t help you.  Fun fact, stress actually makes your body put on body fat…  So don’t stress about “oh I can’t eat that” or “no, I can’t come to the BBQ. It’ll ruin my diet”  You can still go, enjoy a few “fun foods”  in moderation and it won’t set you back.  Just be mindful of what you are eating and drinking.

There you have it, none of these tips are mind-blowing or brand new things you haven’t heard before. BUT, if you go in being aware of what your priorities are (fitness goals vs. food goals)  then you can have a great day, and still not set yourself back for a week in the gym.  Now, go enjoy your freedom!

Happy Independence Day!

Z