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 being good to your body—the next time you find yourself in the middle of an event-filled weekend.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

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 (nobody's perfect) and my snacks consisted of two small dark chocolate bars with nuts and two of those dangerous Oreos. These aren't ideal, but choosing one to two small, sweet snacks isn't horrendous.

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 one of 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. 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. Have a little bit of what you love when ordering room service or fattening food options. You don't have to deprive yourself completely, just enough to make a difference. As I said, nothing is forbidden.

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

Tips & Warnings

• Look for my signature Skinnygirl Margarita that will be available in liquor stores (see Resources).

Resources

• Skinnygirl Cocktails
• Make a Skinnygirl Raspberry Frangelini
• Make a Skinnygirl Frangelini
• Make a Low Cal Mojito
• Make a Skinnygirl Margarita
• Make a Low Cal Teqrantula Cocktail

[wildmandan]

on 10/27/2009 Awesome, lots of helpful tips and things to try to remember. Thanks Bethenney!

[hradcliffe]

on 9/27/2009 Great ideas on how to eat Healthy, 5*

[reynoldsrap]

on 9/2/2009 Great advice...and may I suggest this, as furthering the method to get a man? Beat him on his own turf, on this event filled weekend, via this:
How to Hit A Golf Ball...Becoming A Golfer Is As Easy As 1-2-3!

[midcenturymaven]

on 8/9/2009 Those who travel for work regularly will benefit from these helpful tips. Thanks for acknowledging how difficult it is to eat healthy during busy weekends that often combine work and play. As you say, nobody's perfect.

[my1212]

on 7/30/2009 helpful!