Burpees and Birthdays: How to Stay on Track While Enjoying The Celebrations

So you've done it, you ate healthy all week and worked your butt off so you could fit into that outfit you picked out for your special day. But here's the problem: you don't want to throw away all that hard work and dedication for one weekend of drinking, eating and partying. Well, you don't have to! It is perfectly acceptable to enjoy a piece of birthday cake or a couple drinks with friends, the key to staying on track is moderation! This past weekend was my 20th birthday and it was full of celebrations and good times. However, I always struggle with cheat days: I just can't commit! I've come to realize though, that this is a good thing. I mean does anyone really feel great after a full day of eating absolute crap? Probably not! So here is what I did to stay on track with my fitness goals but still enjoy my birthday with friends and family! Friday: My Cheat Day - On Friday I went to an International Food Festival and then went out to a club with friends. This was my actual cheat day so I did indulge a little bit! However, I did manage to stay active all day (I did a lot of walking!) and only had a few drinks .

• Healthy super-food smoothie for breakfast
• Walked downtown instead of busing
• Watermelon for snack
• Cheat: Felafel for lunch
• Cheat: 3 ciders and 1 tequila shot

Saturday: My Actual Birthday - I had to work on my birthday so that meant I was on my feet all day and was moving furniture around for a good hour. After work I went out to a bar with some friends to watch the hockey game. As part of my new clean eating diet, I only allow myself to drink alcohol once a week!

• Salad and salmon for lunch
• Cranberry juice and water instead of beer

Monday: Family Dinner and Jam Night - My brother made me salmon and salad for my birthday dinner; however dinner is the easy part, its the dessert that packs the biggest punch! To stay on track I minimized my dessert. For Jam Night I opted to be the designated driver - again sticking to my clean eating by not consuming alcohol.

• One bite of cake and half a scoop of vanilla ice-cream
• Cranberry juice and water at the bar

As you can see by the brief description, I did indulge in things I enjoy.  So the next time you have a big weekend out celebrations, remember, you can enjoy the foods you want, you can go out for drinks, and you can have a good time. Just know that the "secret" to staying on track is moderation! Now if today is your birthday, hit the floor... and do a burpee!