Well, the Memorial Day holiday weekend is just about here, in fact, if you’re like me, it starts this Friday, May 26th. And I for one can’t wait! But you and I both know that with the holiday kickoff to summer, there are going to be a lot of backyard parties out there this weekend, and an endless amount of “Good Tasting Food”. So tell me, are you going to let your commitment to a healthier you take its own holiday this weekend? Well, you don’t have to and below are a few tips to help you have a great time with family and friends and still be active and eat some great food so you won’t feel left out as they pass around those nachos and loaded burgers.

Plan your holiday weekend around some activities that are both physical and ones that you and your friends can participate together in. Remember, there's nothing like a friendly competition among friends to get your body active and your heart and blood pumping!

Some of those activities that you can do with your friends and families can include cardio activities that will burn calories like track-skating, kickball, my favorite a good game of volleyball, along with cycling, etc. You get the drift. The key is to make sure there are enough friendly activities out there to help you burn off some of those calories you’re sure to be helping yourself to this holiday weekend.

Another trick that really works is to make sure you're hanging around like-minded friends that are also on the “Get Healthy” lifestyle track. You and he/she might have made that New Year’s resolution together or separately and sticking together can help you both bolster each other this weekend to NOT indulge in all those special sweet treats that are sure to be laid out on the picnic tables in abundance!

Grill What’s Good For You! If you're hosting your own party this weekend, then make sure you stock your fridge with meats that won’t have you busting your gut, literally, when you put them on the grill. Choose grilling chicken, breasts, thighs, and legs make a nice substitution to the traditional hotdogs and hamburgers. And load up the grill on veggies as well. Corn on the cob, peppers, grilled pearl onions, and zucchini make a great addition to your holiday fare. Try using some sprinkles of low salt seasoning to enhance their flavors and don’t forget a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice to provide the zing to your vegetable taste.

BYOM? (Bring your own meat): If you’re going to a backyard party, don’t be afraid to bring your own selection of meat to the menu. Your host will probably thank you for it in the end. Bring some low-fat hamburger to the party, along with chicken, and some turkey dogs or brats. Then you can even dial up the regular buns with whole grain hot dog and hamburger buns as well. If you think about what you’re going to eat, then making the right choices will come easily to you. And don’t be skimpy on how much you’re going to bring. You’re probably going to be pleasantly surprised at how many other guests’ opt. for a healthier portion of your food. So bring enough and maybe you can get a few more friends on eating the healthier way this holiday weekend.

One of the things you will want to keep in mind is to limit the amount of alcohol you ingest this holiday weekend as well. Keep the cold water handy and you can always change it up with some sparkling water as well. There are an endless amount of varieties out there for you to quench your thirst. Just make sure there not loaded with sugar, the natural ones are the best and if you do need that sweet taste to tickle your taste buds this weekend, then try using some honey or agave to sweeten things up a bit.

Now I would be remiss if we didn’t ask you, your family and friends to take a moment out this weekend to remember the reason why it is a national holiday. We want to remind you that Memorial Day, was established and designated to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War in 1868 and became an official federal holiday in 1971.

So we, here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com would like to wish everyone a very Happy and safe, Memorial Day!