So, your counting macros, it was tough at first but now you’re getting the hang of it.  The scale is moving down, you’re feeling good, confident, you can totally do this.  Then, brake…… it’s a holiday weekend.  And never mind one of the best holiday weekends of the year, 4th of July.  Summer is here, alcohol is flowing, hamburgers and hot dogs are grilling, and everybody brought cupcakes! Yay, not :(

This weekend is the perfect diet trap, you’re actually meant to fail this weekend.  I guarantee if you’re on fat loss program you will mess up!  Not because I think you’re a lazy, no will power loser.  Because it’s the perfect storm, and no matter how on point you are with your nutrition, you can’t possible stay in a calorie deficit all three days and enjoy yourself.  If you’re going stay on point with nutrition, you may as well stay home, it’s that simple.

I am in no means writing this article to tell you that you can have three cheat days in a row and reverse all of the good you have done.  I am telling you this so you don’t beat yourself up when you’re not perfect.

Here are some tips to help you get through the weekend, enjoy yourself, and minimize the damage.

Booze!

1. You’re obviously going to have a few more drinks than normal.If you’re a wine drinker, let’s do wine spritzers.No Sangria please, full of sugar!If you drink heavier beers like Sam Summer or Blue Moon, switch to Bud Light, Miller Light, or Coors Light.
2. If you’re already a light beer drinker, let’s do better and switch to Bud Select 55, Miller 64, or Becks Premier Light.Michelob Ultra still has 95 calories, so not the best option.
3. If you like cocktails, stay away from frozen drinks, margaritas, and anything that has a creamy base.Vodka soda’s with a splash of anything for flavor is fine, or a white/silver rum and diet coke or diet ginger ale also works.White/silver rum has less calories than a regular dark, so it’s important to distinguish.And if you like gin, don’t get it with tonic, tonic has calories and soda does not!
4. Make sure to drink plenty of water and if you get on the scale after 3 days of drinking and you have lost weight, you’re probably just dehydrated!

Food, food, and more food!

1. Try and eat super lean at breakfast, think egg whites and turkey sausage.Or just a big egg white and veggie scramble, you will save even more fats by cutting out the sausage.
2. Workout before you go to a cookout and then have a protein shake.The shake is not only good for your recovery but will also ensure you’re not starving before you get there.
3. Have that cheeseburger, you saved the carbs and fats from breakfast!
4. If it’s a rest day, you know you have less carbs, so only eat half the bun on your burger and eat it with a fork and knife and make sure to pile on the veggies.
5. Stay away from pasta and potato salad, there is a lot of fat in there from the mayonnaise and let’s face it, it’s never that good anyways.And broccoli salads, while it looks like you’re loading up on free veggies, there is usually a ton of sugar in there.Fill up on a burger and veggies and enjoy a couple of cocktails.
6. Stay on your feet, don’t plant yourself in a lawn chair for 8 hours.By standing while you’re socializing you will increase your calorie expenditure.
7. Play games, whether its bean bag toss or just chasing kids through a sprinkler, keep moving.
8. If you want desert, have desert, don’t fill your plate up with fruit because you think that’s healthier.I mean it is healthier and I recommend the fruit over the ice-cream sandwich, but if you really want the ice-cream, eat the ice-cream.You may eat the fruit and then give in to the real desert later, and now your way over your macros because you had both.
9. Drink plenty of water. (I know I said that already)
10. If you get home at the end of a long day and you have hit or exceeded your macros, just haves some water and go to bed, if you feel like snacking you’re just tired, your body needs sleep not food.
11. Oh and remember to have fun!

Okay, okay, so this recipe won't break the internet, but its easy, yummy, and the macros are insane if your goal is fat loss!

Ingredients:

1 package of 99% fat free ground turkey
1 packet of Old El Paso chili mix
1 jar of mild salsa
1 can of black beans
1 can of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of water
1 cup of free veggies, your choice

Optional:

½ cup of shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
Tortilla chips
1 cup frozen corn

Directions:

Cook the turkey in a skillet.

While the turkey cooks, in a large pot with a cover, add the water, chili packet, salsa, rinsed black beans, mushrooms, and any other free veggies you might like. I like to add corn, but if you are low on carb macros, don't add it. 

Add the cooked turkey to the pot and stir.  Cook on low to medium heat covered for 30 minutes. 

Serve with a little shredded cheese, eat with a spoon or if you have the extra carbs, scoop with chips!

Nutritional Information
This recipe will make you about 4-5 servings, I am including total macros and macros per 4 servings and doesn't include, cheese, chips, and corn:

Total Macros
Protein: 174 grams, Carbs: 149 grams, Fat: 5 grams =Total Calories: 1,337

Per Serving Macros
               Protein: 43 grams, Carbs: 37 grams, Fat: 1.25 grams =Total Calories: 334

So, have you heard about Halo Top ice cream?  It’s a new super low calorie protein ice cream.  And I have been dying to try it.  It's only sold at Whole Foods and Wegman's, and hasn't been in stock at few that I have tried.  My mother in law found it for me and was nice enough to pick up 4 pints, Chocolate Mocha Chip, Lemon Cake, Strawberry, and Mint Chip.

Okay so here's the story, it’s supposed to be all natural, low cal, low fat, high protein, and delicious.  For my food reviews, my scale is 1-10, 1 being worse, 10 being best.  Halo Top is getting a 5.

I tried the Lemon Cake first, big mistake, you can barely taste the lemon and it tasted very artificial as well.

Next was Chocolate Mocha Chip, I should have tried this first.  It’s not too bad, good chocolate flavor, however there aren't really any chips, unless you count these really small random white things.

Then it was on to Strawberry, my son was very excited for this one, not a winner with him, he liked Chocolate better.  There was actually decent strawberry flavor on this one.

Finally, Mint Chip, I only got to try a little since my husband pretty much devoured the entire pint to hit his carb macros for the day.  Excellent mint flavor but again barley any chips.

The other weird thing is the consistency, you have to let it warm up for a couple of minutes before starts resembling ice cream, otherwise it just feels fake in your mouth.  They say it hardens more than regular ice cream since there is no artificial softeners and its low in sugar and fat.  It’s not harder than regular ice cream though, it’s actually softer right out of the freezer.  It just seems to need some air and heat before it transforms into ice cream.

Also, there is about 24 grams of protein in a pint, which isn't bad but I would never consider this a good protein source.

All and all, if you are an ice cream fanatic and also trying to stay lean, I would stock your freezer with it.  If you’re a fair weather fan, i.e. like me, and love ice cream in the summer, I would splurge on the real stuff or frozen yogurt once a week.  And if you’re super into clean eating and not worried about calories, I would go with the Breyers 5 ingredient ice creams.

Have you tried Halo Top?  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Absolutely not!  I know some reading this may be completely appalled by this article and I get it, why would I not recommend anything but eating the healthiest foods to fuel your body.  I don’t recommend it because it’s really, really, really hard to do.  You may start out with the best of intentions, but you’re just setting yourself up for failure. 

99% of us lead really busy lives, if your young and in college, between classes, sports, school clubs, and friends (i.e. partying), how are you going to eat clean, especially living in a dorm with all of those ramen noodles packs floating around.  If you’re in your mid-20’s working long hours to establish your career, trying to date, and hanging with friends (i.e. partying), how are you going to fit in eating clean when you’re probably only in your small apartment kitchen 1% of the time.  Now if you’re like me, in your 30’s with kids, a career, laundry, a husband, laundry, a home, laundry, and friends (i.e. not partying, chugging as much wine as possible at a play date) and did I say laundry? 

The point is we are all very busy and we need to eat on the go, now that may mean a breakfast sandwich from a drive through, o ’well, at anywhere from 270 to 400 calories for the healthier options, I’m not worried.  I do this at least 3 times a week and you may be thinking she’s skinny fat, well I am not.  I eat a ton of protein, a moderate amount of healthy carbs, and a lot of free veggies.  What are free veggies?  Email me to find out!