Don't Let Fourth Of July Derail Your Weight Loss

As we settle into the July 4th long weekend, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact among all the BBQs, pool parties, fireworks, there most likely will be vast quantities of food & alcohol to be consumed (if not already).

Unfortunately, this can easily derail your weight loss track. Weeks of hard work could be undone over one long weekend. We have all been guilty of this. Nothing new here.

So what are you going to do differently this time?

I’m not going to tell you to stop going to parties this weekend and not have fun. That’s not realistic nor necessary.

Doesn’t have to be complicated either.

The most important thing is to plan ahead. If you know you are going to a party at night, then have either a small breakfast or lunch earlier in the day, but not both (ie. skip one meal). No snacking, have some black coffee instead to naturally suppress your hunger. Save most of your calorie intake for the party.

Second, prioritize foods in order of nutrition. At the party, have foods with the highest nutrition first, such as meats and vegetables, and save the chips & ice creams for later. If you must have appetizers, the same principle applies, go for the shrimp cocktail, skip the crackers.

Don’t go hard all weekend. Do you really need to get trashed every day this weekend? Unless you are in your late teens or early twenties, the answer is probably not. Go crazy for one day, two max. Then let your body recover by having plenty of sleep and relaxation. Drink lots of water, and eat a little less on subsequent days to take the stress off your digestive system.

Lastly, taper your expectations. Your goal this weekend, as far as your weight management is concerned, is to keep the weight gain to a minimum. Not to lose weight. That would be unrealistic. Life is a continuous series of ebbs & flows, this is definitely one the times you should let loose, have some fun, and not be too hard on yourself.

There you have it. Some simple techniques to have a great time this weekend, and not fall off the wagon.

Be prepared, stick with a plan.

Most of all, happy 4th of July!