Is it just me or do holidays and food go hand in hand?! But don't holidays and wanting to look good in pictures go hand in hand too?! Ugh, the irony!!! Well holidays don't have to be your downfall. You can stay on track and still look good in your bikini over Memorial weekend! Here's some of my favorite tips for not letting the endless BBQs you'll be hitting up this weekend set you back!

1. ALWAYS eat something before going to a holiday party. The plates of appetizers and dessert trays will be far less appealing if you eat a healthy meal at home beforehand. Even if you just have a protein bar, or my favorite...SHAKEOLOGY, in the car on the way there, that’s better than going to the party hungry.

2. Watch the alcohol intake. You can pack on serious calories with alcohol. And it’s not just obvious things like daiquiris and margaritas. Beer, wine and mixed drinks are all loaded with calories. If you really want to have a drink then consider it a cheat and have just ONE light beer or glass of wine. My favorite go-to mixed drink is a vodka-water with lime because it still has flavor when you add the lime, but I'm skipping the extra calories a soda or juice would add by using water instead. Also, clear liquors typically have less calories. Try to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for the rest of the week.

3. When attending a holiday meal with family and friends, offer to bring something. I think people actually appreciate having a healthy alternative to all the junk that’s usually served at parties and get-togethers. Most people won’t even realize it’s a clean item!

4. Avoid “emotional eating”! It’s stressful this time of year with all the shopping, expenses, visiting relatives, traveling, etc.  Many times when we’re stressed we overeat and don’t even realize what we’re putting in our mouths. Find some time to relax with a cup of tea, meditate for 10 minutes or call a friend who always makes you laugh.

5. Keep up with your exercise routine! I know it’s tough when you're busy to try to fit in exercise with the gazillion other things there are to do. My workouts are 22-30 minutes long...everyone should be able to fit that in.

Remember, it’s okay to indulge a bit every once in awhile. Life isn’t supposed to feel like deprivation – you’re allowed to enjoy yourself.  But by practicing awareness while eating, you’ll not only get more pleasure out of eating, you’ll be taking better care of yourself while you're at it!