The Saturday of Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of wedding season as couples across the country take advantage of the warmer weather and higher likelihood of sunshine to tie the knot. While the onslaught of summer weddings might tickle your inner romantic, they can create a hefty dilemma for dieters. The food served at weddings is typically high in calories and fat – and that’s even before you consider the cake.

According to Frost Magazine, a piece of wedding cake can set you back approximately 650 calories – which certainly won’t help you snap into shape for the summer swimsuit season. If you’re attending a wedding as a guest it can be hard to say no to cake on someone’s special day. If you’re the bride or the groom, choosing the cake can be no easy feat: you want one that looks gorgeous, fits your wedding theme and tastes delicious. The quest for the perfect cake can be even more difficult when you want to find something figure-friendly, too.

Luckily, some clever couples have moved away from traditional wedding cake and are choosing to serve figure-friendlier desserts that will still satisfy the sweetest sweet tooth.

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Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner. It’s not just a great time to bond with family and friends as we kick off the summer of 2011, but there are great opportunities to get a little exercise in as well. Since the weather will hopefully be warm and sunny wherever you are, let’s hit the outdoors and have some fun!

While the deeper meaning behind Memorial Day is to commemorate the men and women who have served our country in the Armed Forces, it’s also a time to enjoy a little outdoor fun with friends. Here are some activities you can take part in and how many calories you can expect to burn in the process:

Golf

Hitting the links is not only a nice way to get a few miles of walking in, you can get your competitive juices flowing as well (even if it’s just a matter of competing with yourself). According to a study by Neil Wolkodoff, director of the Rose Center for Health and Sports Sciences in Denver, putting in just 9 holes of golf, carrying your clubs and walking, you will burn about 700 calories.
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Memorial Day is one holiday almost everyone looks forward to. What’s not to love? The last Monday of every May, we honor our fallen U.S. soldiers and their families on a weekend when the weather starts to heat up in most parts on the country. Barbecues, camping trips and outdoor parties are how most people celebrate Memorial Day, the sunshine, and show their patriotism.

Memorial Day is tons of fun, but barbecues are notorious for being full of calorie and fat packed foods, so plan ahead. If you are taking advantage of the long weekend and going camping, indulging in 3 days worth of this indulgent food can really do some damage. If you are hosting, you have full control of the menu, but if you are a guest, bring your own “safe” dish that you know is healthy, and you already know the calories and fat per serving.

Whether you’re planning to usher in summer at the beach or with a backyard cookout, there are a lot of tempting, warmer-weather treats that might appeal to you no matter how much you want to stick to a healthy diet. Fend off cravings by making slimmer versions of your favorite meals and treats.

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It’s May in Indy, otherwise known as race season, which culminates Memorial Day weekend with The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. General lawn seating, where they allow grilling and camping, is only $20, so it’s a popular event to attend. Whether you prefer IRL, Formula 1, Nascar, or another type of racing, staying healthy at the track can seem like a challenge, but it does not have to be.

What to Drink
Alcohol is often a big part of attending a race. Although it is not necessary to enjoy the experience, many do want to drink since it is a day before a holiday. Beer is by far the most popular drink at any race; keep it light with our list of the Top Ten Lowest Calorie Beers. Drinking liquor can keep the calories low, but be careful what you mix with it. Water, club soda, diet tonic water, and diet sodas have no calories, but beware of the damage to your health diet sodas have been known to cause, such as heart attack or kidney problems.

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I know the title of this post may sound gimmicky, but the start of May is actually a much better time of year to make a weight-loss resolution than January. When the sun is shining, you’re more likely to feel energized and motivated to get out and move. The impending bathing suit season is a much more tangible goal when you’re not bundled up in sweaters and jackets.

Memorial Day is May 30th. You have 31 days! Here are some tips to help you drop some weight.

1) Spring-Clean Your Cabinets

You know what foods are your worst temptations. Is is chocolate, cookies or chips? Regardless, get it out! You’ll be less likely to eat high-calorie foods if you don’t have them on hand. Consider donating unopened packages to your local soup kitchen.

2) Don’t Drink Your Calories

Cut out sodas and sugary juices, sweetened ice tea and sugary lemonade. They don’t fill you up, but are laden with calories. Plus, some research suggests that sugary drinks are metabolized differently than other sources of carbohydrate, and that the body is more likely to covert these calories into fat.

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