How to Eat Healthy on an Event Filled Weekend

Weekend events, special occasions, work trips and holiday weekends are always challenging when it comes to eating. Even I (whose job is to be healthy) have a difficult time with this—so it boils down to the lesser of the evils—I try to do my best with the worst experience.

When I corresponded for the Kentucky Derby for NBC, I flew from a business trip in California to Kentucky, which was challenging in itself. Being on airplanes, not sleeping and not having your own kitchen is one thing. Add a rigorous schedule and nighttime parties and you have a challenge.

Follow my steps for the next time you have an event-filled weekend.




Instructions

1. Step 1

Use what is provided and start off the best way you can. My schedule didn't allow to stop for meals. What was provided to me was a snack basket, so I immediately determined the best choices. The package of six wheat crackers with cheddar cheese beat out the sugary granola bars, chips and candy. Although there were way more complicated ingredients than I normally care for, the crackers were wheat, the portion and calories were reasonable (230) and most importantly, the cheese had protein. One of the two-pack granola bars combined with a handful of nuts would provide similar value. I also had a few Starbursts, because nobody is perfect, and my snacks consisted of two small dark chocolate bars with nuts and two of the dangerous Oreos. These aren't ideal, but choosing one to two small, sweet snacks isn't horrendous.

2.Step 2

Festive weekends often come with sugary signature cocktails, so you must deal with what you have. If you foresee drinking more than one drink, follow my clear liquor or wine rule or make my SkinnyGirl recipes (see Resources below). If you don't feel like dealing with custom orders, have one of your sugary cocktails and savor it. Enjoy one per day—nothing is forbidden.

3.Step 3

Remember to sleep. Compare the consequences of a night out with a nice calm dinner or room service and a good night's sleep. Lack of sleep makes you crave junk food for comfort.

4.Step 4

When ordering room service meals or fattening food options, just have a little bit of what you love.

5.Step 5

Make your diet a puzzle and fill in what you are missing. During my Derby weekend, eating cheese and crackers made me want a good Sunday night meal. I had already invested in two chocolate-covered oreos, a sliver of cheesecake and a mint julep, so my sugar moment needed to end. Protein was essential. With that, I had a scoop of the chicken and cheese off the nachos, some more chicken from my cobb salad and a spoonful of chili. I wouldn't win any awards, but I had what I wanted in reasonable quantities. Lunch had been vegetables and salad, so now it was protein time.

6.Step 6

Have fun, sleep well, don't go overboard and deal with the situation at hand.

source : By Bethenny Franke - ehow.com