Planning is crucial in order to stay on track with your fitness goals – especially around holidays like this weekend. So having a “battle plan” (along with a little willpower and self-control!) will help you survive all the festivities without throwing all of your hard work out the window. Here are a few helpful tips to make sure you can enjoy the weekend while staying on track towards reaching all of your fitness goals! Happy July 4th everyone!
 

#1: Don’t skip your workout. Getting it in early is a great way to start off on the right foot and rev up your metabolism for the rest of the day – even if you think you might be indulging in some off-the-clean-menu items later in the day.

#2: Eat something before you head to the event. This way, you won’t feel starved before you get there – which is usually a time when most of us are apt to eat anything in sight.

#3: Offer to bring a healthy dish. You want to sit out all of the festivities, right? Bringing your own, “healthier” option will ensure you aren’t at the mercy of foods that aren’t on your diet. Need a few ideas for healthy 4th of July dishes? Here they are!

Slow Cooked Salsa Chicken
Low-Carb Turkey Mushroom Burgers
Healthy Tuna Salad
Crockpot Turkey Chili
 

#4: Stand your ground. Some of us may feel self-conscious about our fitness lifestyle around friends and family who just don’t get it, and may even poke fun at us being “health nuts” or “gym rats.” If you’re feeling this, you’re not alone. Here is a great post that explains how to deal with some of the diet saboteurs you you may run into this weekend.
 

#5: Pack your own emergency foods. If you don’t know how long you’ll be out and about, you’ll need to be prepared with some quick, healthy options. Check out the new 5 Emergency Foods You Can Take Anywhere video to get some quick, healthy ideas you can pack to stay on track!