How many times have you worked SO hard during the week to eat healthy and exercise, only to blow it on the weekends? 

If you've fallen culprit to the weekend binge, don't worry, YOU'RE NOT ALONE!  Heck, even sometimes I can have weekends that are the opposite of healthy!  

However, if you're trying to lose weight, keeping your weekends in-check is CRUCIAL to reaching your goals!  Check out these tips to help you stay on track, even during the most fun weekend events!

1. Focus on being CONSISTENT instead of being PERFECT.

Let's be real--the weekends are the time we should be ENJOYING our days without work!  It is 100% possible to lose weight and still enjoy meals at restaurants, and even a special dessert or drink on the weekends.  Instead of focusing on eating and exercising "perfectly," because that doesn't even exist, focus on making consistent, healthy choices when you CAN!  Don't restrict yourself, but control how much unhealthy food you're eating.  Eating a salad with veggies and chicken followed by ice cream cone won't cause you to gain weight, but eating pizza, burgers, fries, AND ice cream could cause you to gain weight.

2.  Forget about "good" and "bad" food, and focus on portions.

Here's the truth: Eating too much of the HEALTHIEST foods can cause you to gain weight.  

Instead of focusing on eating "good" or "bad" food, focus on the portions of ALL foods you eat on the weekends.  It's definitely important that most of the foods you choose are nutritious, but use your hand to help you portion out each meal.  For women looking to lose weight, include a palm size protein, fistful of vegetable, a small cupped hand of carbohydrates and a thumb size amount of fat in each meal, 3 or 4 times a day.

3.  Plan ahead and be prepared!

Often times, we know our weekend plans well ahead of the actual weekend.  If you have an upcoming party or BBQ to attend, or if you know you plan on getting ice cream on a hot summer day, try to eat healthy, nutritious foods for MOST of the day leading up to your event.  Then, when you arrive at the party or BBQ, you can enjoy some treats because you've stayed on track so far.  On the flip, if you have brunch plans, enjoy your brunch and mimosas, but then get back on track immediately after brunch by having a healthy lunch or dinner planned.

4.  Drink 1-2 glasses of water in between each alcoholic beverage!

It's not uncommon for many women to enjoy a few cocktails on the weekends.  Heck, that's one of MY favorite parts of the weekend!  However, it's easy to over-do it with the booze, especially when you know you can sleep all day tomorrow!  

In between each alcoholic beverage, be sure to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water.  Not only will this help control how many calories you're drinking, but it will also help prevent the dreaded hangover (which usually leads to poor nutrition choices.) 

5.  Accept responsibility for your decisions

The first thing I want to stress is that there's no "BAD" or "GOOD" food choices.  There are only more nutritious food choices, and less nutritious choices.  Eating is a simple cause and effect situation.  Everything we eat and drink takes us a little closer or a little further away from our health & fitness goals.  

Accepting the consequence is a great way to enjoy your food.  Plus, accepting the consequences helps to to really hone in on exactly WHAT less nutritious food choices are worth eating and drinking.  

If you're looking to lose weight or simply lead a healthier life, use these suggestions to help you stay on track!  I promise that you CAN lose weight and still enjoy weekends.  It just takes some mindfulness and planning ahead! ;)