This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend! Holiday weekends are full of fun celebrations like barbecues and outdoor parties, but they can also be full of things like booze, treats and fatty foods! Although its fun to enjoy, there are a few things you can do to stay a little healthier this weekend

1. Stay Hydrated

Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the weekend, especially if you plan on drinking. Staying hydrated is super important to make sure your body and its functions are working properly. If you read last weeks post, you’ll know just how detrimental dehydration can be! Dehydration can have effects such as decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased water retention and fatigue.

Again, make sure you are drinking around 3.0 Liters of water daily if you are a man and around 2.2 Liters of water daily.

Make sure to watch the alcohol, too, because those calories can add up! Instead of drinking alcoholic beverages back to back, try and alternate between water to both save calories and stay hydrated (alcohol also can increase dehydration!)

2. Get Moving

Try and work in your usual workout routine and get in a good sweat!

On holiday weekends, it can be sometimes hard to avoid overeating or drinking, even if you’re trying, thats why its important to keep up your routine and get in a good workout! Whether it be an intense weightlifting session or a 45 minute walk, try and get moving!

Need help getting in your workout? Join us Saturday at 9 AM or Sunday at 10 AM for a total body bootcamp!

3. Skip That Second Plate

Instead of going in for a second serving of those chips and dip or dessert, try to fill your first plate up with lots of healthy filling food. Some good choices include protein and veggies.

Protein can help you feel more full or satiated for longer because of its nutritional value. Try and select foods that are high in protein! This should be especially easy if you’re headed to a barbecue, which many people do on holidays. Also, try and load up on the veggies. Veggies are a very voluminous food meaning you can eat more for less calories and feel full sooner. Veggies will also help you up your fiber intake which causes you to feel fuller, faster too!

A second plate can add a ton of extra calories, especially if you fill it with the unhealthy treats that may be offered!

4. Rest Up

Recovery is still just as important as ever, especially during long weekends.

Getting a good night sleep has so many benefits and effects on the body.

First, a good night sleep is important for brain health. Sleeping can help keep your brain work properly and prepare for the next days events! Getting a good sleep can also help destress, help your memory and more.

Not only does sleep and rest have an impact on your brains health, but also your physical health. In fact, sleep deficiency can increase your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and more.

It’s also found that sleep is important for those who are trying to lose weight, because sleep deficiency is found to be linked to obesity. The reason for this may be because of hormone levels. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, “when you don’t get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin [hormone that makes you feel hungrier] goes up and your level of leptin [hormone that makes you feel fuller] goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you’re well-rested.”

Some people may argue, however, that the reason obesity and sleep are connected are because less sleep gives people more time to eat. A small laboratory study at Harvard found this to be true. If this is true, these extra calories can easily be prevented by watching what you eat.

Regardless, getting a good night sleep is important for many reasons.

5. Don’t get DOWN!

By keeping all of these tips in mind, you can do your best to stay healthy during a long holiday weekend. Although you should still try not to go overboard, don’t fill yourself with guild. Remember, you didn’t make all your progress in few days, you won’t lose it all in a few days either!

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Sources:
“7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water.” Healthline, Healthline Media,
“10 Reasons Why Good Sleep Is Important.” Healthline, Healthline Media,
Clark, Micheal. NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2018)
MPH, Judith Anne Owens M.D. “Sleep-Starved: The Obesity and Sleep Connection.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 26 Apr. 2017
Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency – Why Is Sleep Important?” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
“Sleep.” Obesity Prevention Source, hsph.harvard.edu, 13 Apr. 2016