Weekend-Proof Your Diet

FRIDAY: Happy Hour After Work

You're in the mood to unwind, but the more you drink, the more you munch. "Alcohol makes you hungry because it lowers your blood sugar," Lichten says. "Plus, it lifts your inhibitions, so you'll eat just about anything."

Don't order your usual. You're more likely to have a second round when you're drinking your fave. "To keep it to one serving, get something you can nurse for the time you're there," says Marissa Lippert, RD, author of The Cheater's Diet. For example, if you guzzle white wine, order a light beer instead.

Go solo. Sharing a pitcher of margaritas with your friends may be more economical, but you're better off, calorie-wise, ordering by the glass. "That way you can't lose sight of how much you're downing because someone is constantly topping you off," says Evelyn Tribole, RD, coauthor of Intuitive Eating.

Cover up the snacks. If you seem to be magnetically drawn to that bowl of spicy nuts, drape a napkin over it. Even if you end up sneaking a few bites, you'll nibble 40 percent less, according to a recent study. "Inserting an extra step is always smart because it slows you down," says Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and a FITNESS advisory board member.