The approaching Labor Day holiday means many things – the end of summer, the arrival of football season, picnics, barbeques, boating and last chance beach trips. Unfortunately, if you are going through cancer treatment, Labor Day may just be another day on the calendar as fatigue can get the best of you. If you have finished cancer treatment recently, Labor Day may mean celebration!
No matter what your situation, holiday weekend celebrations and football season can leave you faced with many challenges if you are trying to keep up your healthy lifestyle. Exercise gets put on the backburner. Fried foods, rich desserts and creamy salads fill picnic menus. And the cocktails…
What’s a girl (or guy) to do?
- Stay active. Get moving with your friends and family. Instead of sitting and chatting, try playing lawn games like corn hole, croquet or horseshoes, or go for a bike ride, a walk, water ski or go swimming.
- Be a good example. Bring a healthy dish or snack to parties, cookouts and tailgates. Try serving raw veggies with hummus, baked chips with salsa or fruit slices. Replace high fat pasta, macaroni and potato salads with bean or quinoa based salads.
- Plan your plate. Fill ½ of your plate with fruits and vegetable dishes first, then fill the other half with meats and starches.
- Ditch the fryer. Instead of wings or a bucket of fried chicken, try marinating chicken breast tenderloins in hot sauce or another favorite marinade, then bake or grill. Roll in bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes after marinating if you want to add crunch.
- Be creative with desserts. Hot weather is perfect for cold desserts! Serve 100% fruit juice popsicles or berries topped with low-fat frozen yogurt.
- Drink cautiously. If you choose to drink more than the recommended max of 2 drinks per day for men or 1 drink per day for women, aim for low-cal options. Try mixing vodka with club soda or rum with diet coke. Steer clear of fruity margaritas and daiquiris, which can easily serve up 300+ calories per drink. If you prefer beer, choose light. Remember, alcohol is also a diuretic, so if you are spending time in the hot temps, mix in a glass of water between each drink to stay hydrated. If you are currently in the middle of cancer treatment, talk with your physician before drinking alcohol.
- Remember, it’s all about balance. So you overdo it this weekend? In the big picture, it’s only three days. Don’t be too hard on yourself but…. get back on the saddle first thing Tuesday morning.
Your body (and mind) will thank you.
