Your 4th of July Weekend Tips: Part 1

Happy almost 4th of July!  This is an awesome, real-deal long weekend and, like many of my clients, you probably have a handful of barbeques to go to.  IzzyFit is all about making healthy living fun so here are some tips for keeping this weekend from kicking your fitness and nutritional goals in the butt.  There IS a way to celebrate AND stay on track.

·      Fit in a workout no matter what! Whether you’re out of town in a hotel or at a friend or family member’s house, or you’re staying put in your own home, get that booty moving for a good, intense 30 minutes (at least) each day this weekend.  Go on a hike, go jogging, have a dance party. You don’t need a gym to fit in a good, intense workout, nor do you need any equipment.  New blog post with my favorite butt-kicking, equipment-free workout coming tomorrow!
·      Do high-five yourself for exercising and do bask in your post-workout glory! Do not drink an extra margarita to reward yourself for working out.  Using food and drink as rewards can be major upsets as you work towards your goals.
·      Keep yourself accountable by keeping a food and drink journal if you don’t already.  I’m not going to tell you to go on an all-pickle diet at your barbeques to keep the calories down but if you’re going to indulge here and there, indulge consciously and mindfully.  Keep track of the hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, chips!  Eat mindfully and slowly so you can really enjoy what you’re consuming. 
·      Here’s a tip for eating slower: chew everything that’s in your mouth and swallow before taking another bite. This sounds incredibly obvious but you’d be surprised by how often we take another bite with an already-full mouth.
·      Alcoholic beverages have calories in them, too.  On average, one 12-oz bottle of beer has 150 calories; one 6-oz glass of white wine has 120; a vodka lemonade drink like an 11.2-oz bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade has 220.  Drinks = calories which is why you need to keep track of them like you do food.
·      DO NOT HANG OUT BY THE CHIP BOWL. Take a plate.  Put a handful of chips on the plate.  WALK AWAY FROM THE CHIP BOWL. This will keep you from mindlessly munching away at the entire bowl. 
·      Condiment calories can add up.  Limit the amount of cheese and mayo you put on your sandwiches.
·      HAVE FUN!

I know this is a long list of dos and don’ts but my hope is that they give you the power to make good choices this weekend so you can hit the ground running on July 5th without feeling like you’ve sabotaged yourself during the long weekend.  Being mindful of your actions, and taking ownership of them, will give you the freedom to have guilt-free FUN!