How to avoid gaining weight on a holiday weekend can be a challenge. All the parties and family time can be overwhelming. What can I eat? What should I avoid eating? Can I just splurge this weekend and then start my diet? These are all questions my clients have been asking me for the past week.

What can you eat? Great question. You can eat grilled chicken, lean meats, any type of fish(no deep fried), and eat all the fruit and veggies you want. I tell all my clients what the goal for the weekend should be is limit those high calorie meals. The ones where you eat everything under the sun. Brats, hotdogs, cake, chips with dip, and those soda drinks will sure add those calories up. One meal could add 1500+ calories. These types of splurge meals can set you back weeks with your weight loss goals.

What should you avoid? These are the top 3 things to avoid.

• #1 Alcohol
• #2 Soda & fruit-sugar drinks
• #3 Sweets, cake, ice cream, chips with dip

Set yourself up for success. Change your mind set that its OK if you eat bad this whole weekend. I think many of us make tons of excuses to eat and treat our bodies like we don't care. We say things like, "This only happens once a year", "Its been awhile since you've seen someone(friend or family member) and tell yourself its OK to eat and drink like its the last supper." Yes a few cheat meals will happen, but we can put a limit on those and the calories consumed during the day. Take care of your health, It's your responsibility.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Moses, BS, CSCS is a San Diego personal trainer and fitness coach specializing in helping individuals with strength training, sports conditioning and weight loss.