How to get through 4th of July weekend without blowing your macros!

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!

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