Back on Track

The weekends can be full of fun temptations, but there's no worse feeling that heading back to work on a Monday morning feeling tired and bloated and wishing you could hit a rewind button. I'm a big believer in the power of a plan. Going into the weekend with a healthy mentality will help you steer clear of overdoing it and keep you in a routine that you can be proud of. Here are some ideas to get you going:

• Set your priorities: A weekend list never hurt anyone! I often make it a point to stray away from big lists or obligations, but setting a solid game plan for what you want to accomplish over the course of the weekend will make your life loads easier come Monday morning. Trust me on this one.
• Have one long workout: Summer is the perfect time to reap the benefits of the weather in your fitness routine, so make time for one long weekend workout. There's also something to be said for a weekend full of yoga! I always feel so refreshed if I make a point to attend class on Saturday and Sunday.
• Don't blow your diet: Know you're heading to a big BBQ or party where you're going to want to chow down? Plan ahead. There's no need not to indulge with friends every so often, but knowing and planning for when this will take place will help you make healthier foodie choices the rest of the weekend. Filling up a little before you head to a feast will also help you keep things light and easy.

Keep reading for more ways to stop the Monday blues forever!

Sunday is a great time to get a healthy head start on the week by mapping out your weekly menu. If you're really on top of things, you'll do it before food shopping, so when you head to the grocery store, you'll be able to pick up exactly what you need. I've done the legwork for you and mapped out a week of healthy vegetarian options that won't require you to turn on the oven. Enjoy!

Monday: Southwestern Quinoa Salad With Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

What you'll need:

• Quinoa
• Veggie broth
• Fresh cilantro
• Canned black beans
• Frozen corn
• Jalapeño pepper
• Lime
• Spices including garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and sea salt
• Fresh greens
• White wine vinegar
• Honey
• Garlic
• Dijon mustard
• Olive oil

Continue reading for the rest of the week's healthy menu and grocery list.

If you're feeling a little bluesy after a wild weekend, no need to lay the guilt on heavy. However, it is time to look forward to a week that's healthy and back on track with your routine. Not sure where to kick things off? Here are some healthy tips to handle yourself both physically and emotionally after a big weekend binge.

• Recognize how you're feeling: Take stock of your feelings, and look at what might have made you slip. Maybe it was just a big weekend that you were planning for, but if you're beating yourself up, you've got to look at the root of what was going on: Were you binging out of boredom? Super stressed at work last week? Getting honest with your feelings attached to food can help you cut down on stress eating.
• Skip the scale: If you were busy chowing down all weekend, I'll save you the heartache. Chances are your weight is going to be a little inflated. But the number you see is not showing an increase in body fat over a two-day period. After a bad binge, water retention is often brought on by the excess of salt you enjoyed all weekend long. Checking out the scale is only going to make you get in your head, and what you need to focus on is moving forward.
• Load up on healthy foods: Fiber-rich fruits and veggies will help get your body back on track and feeling good! Make a point to say goodbye to sodium-laden foods, and welcome debloating foods to your plate like quinoa, papaya, and yogurt.

Keep reading for three more tips to recover after a big weekend binge.

Even the healthiest among us can't help but get into the Halloween fun, and while everything's good in moderation, sometimes a night of temptation means we allow ourselves to go overboard. Whether you've snacked on trick-or-treating leftovers too much or are still recovering from the weekend, here are some ideas to get back on track for the rest of the week.

Break the sugar addiction: Spent the holiday eating way too many fun-size treats? Eating a lot of sugar will only make you crave it more, so your Monday of celebration may be leading to mindless reaching for your candy stash the rest of the week. If you're craving sweets, take celebrity trainer Jackie Warner's advice: take five days to wean yourself off sugar and refined carbs by eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies instead. If forgoing sugar altogether seems impossible (especially in light of leftover holiday treats), check out our tips for reducing your sugar cravings.

Stop the hangover: If you overdid it with a multinight costumed celebration, now's the time for post-Halloween hangover remedies. Get back on track by helping your overpartied body. Here are five morning-after fixes to help cure your hangover.

Read more healthy post-Halloween tips after the break.

Sure, my dog isn't going back to school this September but let's use the season to brush up on our best training practices. I'll pass along bits of wisdom throughout the month — like my just (don't) say no tip — but I want to hear any training tricks you've picked up along the way to help life with kitties or doggies go just that much more smoothly. Share one, share all, in the comments below!

He's spoiled . . . but not that spoiled! What I mean is that I don't use the word "no" to reprimand my pooch. I always worried that it sounded too much like his name (North) and didn't want him to get confused when I was teaching that.

Even for dogs whose names don't include an N or an O, many trainers recommend teaching the concept by using different words instead! Since no one rewards no, it's harder for a pup to learn it, so a success-focused approach will work much better. Try using a word that directs your pooch to what you want him to do (off, leave it, wait, etc.) followed by a positive command (come, sit, etc.) and words of praise (good boy) and see how it works at your home.

Do you use the word no?

Aside from my sports bra and sneakers, my iPod is also a necessity when I'm working out. Music totally motivates me, and I've found that I don't work out as long or as intensely if there's no music to pump me along. My workout mixes are loud, fast, and definitely not tunes I'd pop in for a relaxing Sunday afternoon. I haven't made a new mix in a while and am pretty bored with my old ones, and since it's Spring, I thought it was high time to make a brand new cardio mix to get me moving. I picked some of my old faves like Rihanna's "SOS," and some new ones like Lady Gaga's "Telephone."

If you're bored with your old workout mixes, weekends are a great time to make a new one. Come Monday morning, you'll be psyched to pump it up and sweat it out. If you need some ideas, check out my new springtime running mix when you read more