How will you be celebrating Memorial Day this year?

As we celebrate, it’s important to remember what Memorial Day is truly about: remembering those who we have lost and those who have fought for our country. To all those individuals, inside and outside the Genesis gym walls, we thank you for your selfless service. You will not be forgotten.

A significant holiday of remembrance and appreciation, Memorial Day is also known as the unofficial start of summer! Although the day this year may look a little different as we come out of pandemic times, a little less crowded perhaps, it could also look like past holidays as levels of vaccination rise and COVID cases dwindle. What does that mean? Oh, I'm sure you remember... Big gatherings, tons of food, a whole lot of fun, and a huge celebration.

No matter what you choose to do, whether you celebrate at home or decide to meet up with friends and family on the lake just like old times, there’s no argument that with Memorial Day weekend comes big celebrations and even bigger temptations.

If you are wondering how in the heck you will stay true to your fitness goals, how you will remain healthy while everyone else fires up the grill, cooking the second round of delicious burgers and brats, we have some helpful tips and ideas for you so you can still have fun and stay on track.

Tips for Staying Healthy and Happy on Memorial Day

Plan ahead!

Planning ahead will keep your Memorial Day relaxing and enjoyable. If you’re comfortable going out, find out before what restaurants or places are open and plan the spot that best suits your dietary needs or activity levels.

If you’re staying home, prep your meal ahead of time. Whether it be preparing the salad, marinating the meat, or steeping the non-alcoholic drinks, you'll have more control if you prep your own food. If you bring your own healthy options to a friendly potluck, those options will always be there for you, so you don't have to face temptation city alone and unprepared.

Want to learn more about meal prepping? Need some healthy tips on dining out or how to avoid holiday over-indulgence? Read the following blogs:

The Ins and Outs of Meal Prepping

Staying Healthy While Dining Out

WAYS TO AVOID HOLIDAY OVER-INDULGENCE 

Planning in general, doing some prep-work the day before will allow you more time to enjoy the company you keep this Memorial Day. Give yourself some peace of mind and allow yourself more time to actually participate in fun activities you plan. Speaking of fun activities, come up with some incredible things do to and...

Take a break from the food!

When it comes to holidays, we tend to focus on the meals. Not a bad thing really, when food brings most people together and allows the good conversation to bloom, but it doesn’t have to be all about the food. Take our advice from above and plan out some non-food-related activities. Games outside, a nice little swim, a pay of respects in some way... whatever the activity, watch the weather and plan accordingly. If the weather’s nice, find a nice trail or park to go to. You can either take a walk or bring a ball to kick and pass around. Allow yourself to get some energy out. Just get moving! If the weather is terrible and a movie sounds good, snuggle in and start streaming! There are so many different things you could do! To get more Memorial Day activities going, see here for some fun ideas and inspiration.

Have Healthier Options on the Menu!

Although it's not all about the food, like mentioned before, the meals are a part of any holiday, and it's a happy tradition that you can and should continue. But, if you're apprehensive about temptations and sticking to your fitness goals, we want to suggest some healthier options for you, so you can still have delicious food AND fun this Memorial Day.

Here are some Genesis recipes we know you'll love:

Summer Grilled Vegetable Salad

Paleo Brownies

Cinnamon Bun Protein Cookies

Chicken Tostadas

Other healthy holiday favorites?

• Homemade Guacamole
• Southwestern Pinto Bean Veggie Burgers
• Guilt-Free Nachos
• Gourmet Black Bean Tacos
• Cherry Berry Crumble Pie

Don’t worry; we didn’t forget about the drinks!

Check out some healthy cocktails or the Genesis blog below for some helpful guidance on holiday booze.

The Best Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

If you do decide to overindulge, remember it's not the end of the world...

The Bottom Line:

Remember your loved ones and also what this day, Memorial Day, means for so many. You can have holiday fun; you can indulge! You can always come back from a holiday, sweat it out, get back to it, and crush your goals. We have every faith in YOU!

We truly hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend full of love and fun, remembrance and appreciation.

Share your Memorial Day plans in the comments below!