4th of July weekend is upon us, and judging by the amounts of invites in my inbox, this will be a highly celebrated occasion. Three days of partying can be detrimental for those of us who engage in an everyday healthy lifestyle. After all, who wants to go to the gym after drinking until 4am?

It’s easy to slip up around the holidays and if it does happen there is plenty of time to redeem yourself from now till Thanksgiving. Here is an easy list of tips I’ve compiled that will make BBQ & club hopping this 4th of July a little more guilt free.

Dress to form – this may be my favorite tip of all time. Wearing form fitting clothing, or things that fit perfectly, opposed to loose fitting clothing will cause you to be aware of your eating. No one wants a bulge, or to appear larger than they are.

Size always matters – in this case, in buffet situations grab the smallest plate. There are usually smaller plates by the appetizers and desserts, use those for your main meal as well.

Plan – plan your BBQs and cookouts, if you have more than one or two in a day, limit eating and drinking accordingly.

Healthiest foods 1st – Salads are a great place to start because watery vegetables slow digestion and have very few calories.

Skip the junk Carbs (chips & bread) – Refined carbohydrates are the worst things you can eat because they offer little satisfaction, loads of calories and dangerous insulin spikes. BBQs are filled with wonderful food, so do yourself a favor and save your calories for the really good stuff.

Stop, Think, Drink – There is a place for alcohol in a healthy lifestyle, but making smart choices can be the difference between losing or gaining weight. One margarita can have up to 800 calories. That means 3 margaritas is more food than you should be consuming in an entire day. Is that really worth it? Stick with wine or beer, drink plenty of water and remember to pace yourself.

Go for a walk – After eating, take a walk around the block or park. This will help the digestion process and burn off a few calories while enjoying the beautiful day.

Lastly, don’t panic. One day of overeating isn’t going to bloat you into full cow state (but 3 might). What really matters is the amount and types of food eaten over time. Stay aware and HAPPY 4th (OUR PRESIDENT IS BLACK)!!!