Weekends are the great culprit in working against one's diet. People often equate fitness & diet to the work-week when it comes to the weekend, falling into the trap that if they follow a diligent diet & workout program during the week, they can splurge (a lot) on weekends.
This isn't the case. When it comes to diet & alcohol consumption, weekends can detract from all the successes of a rigid protocol during the week. Therefore, the best way to approach weekend fun is moderation.
A cheat day actually is beneficial (for one's sanity), as long as it is in reason. However, follow these tips to ensure maximum enjoyment without doing maximum damage to your previous week's successes:
Avoid sugary drinks.
Avoid mixed drinks with alcohol.
If you plan to drink alcohol in excess, aim for doing it just one night with alcohols such as vodka. Avoid beer or heavily fermented alcohols. Vodka sodas would be the “cleanest” beverage.
Continue to track caloric intake during the weekend.
On a cheat day, keep macros within reason of your standard daily macros.
If you are going out for a meal multiple times during a weekend, try to pre-plan your meals at your upcoming venues.
Diet is everything, and too much deviance from your standard, weekly diet plan during the weekend can work against your successes.