You work hard all week from Monday through Thursday, hitting the gym after classes and counting your calories throughout the day. However, as soon as the weekend hits, both your mind and body take a mini vacation. After all your hard work, it’s easy to reward yourself with a few extra treats.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

According to an October 2003 issue of Obesity Research, “Americans 19 to 50 years old take in 115 more calories per day on the weekend (defined as Friday through Sunday) than on the other days of the week. Over the course of a year, that adds up to 17,940 extra calories, or about five pounds.” However, college students define the weekend as Thursday through Sunday, tacking on an additional day of calories per weekend.

What does 115 calories look like? How about that light beer at Friday’s happy hour or your Saturday morning light frappuccino? Or on another note, how about approximately seven chips (just short of a handful) at your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant?

Although SMU isn’t set in your typical “college town” where streets are lined with joints advertising, “Penny Pitchers” and “$1 Pizza Slices,” the area definitely has its fair share of dining options. “With more restaurants per-capita than New York City, Dallas is truly a food-lover’s town,” according to Dallas.com.

When your friends invite you out for “Mexican & Margaritas” or “Sushi & Sake,” your diet shouldn’t hold you back as these social gatherings are much too fun to miss out on. So, sit back, relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about the damage these weekend outings could have on your diet. Here’s how to do so in five simple steps:

1. What many people don’t realize is that 38 percent of the time when they think they are hungry, they are mistakenly thirsty, according to a Watermirrors.com statistic. But don’t let this simple mistake fool you. Order a large glass of water as soon as you’re seated and quench your thirst as you peruse the menu and re-evaluate the extent of your hunger.

2. After looking over the menu, you may conclude that splitting a meal is your best option. Fear of leaving the restaurant unsatisfied? Fear not. “Most restaurant chefs are dishing out portions that are two to four times bigger than the government’s recommended serving sizes,” according to a USA Today’s article, “Survey: Restaurants Dishing Out Large Portions.” No use in breaking a belt and a bank account, right? This tactic will leave you with only half the calories and half the check.

3. Don’t let wordy menus fool you. Scan them for healthy keywords like “grilled” and “broiled.” Read past unhealthy terms such as “marinated,” “sautéed” and “creamy.” These words can turn healthy foods, such as chicken and fish, into caloric over-kills.

4. Order sauces and dressings on the side. Do we have to go into detail on healthy eating’s golden rule? Imagine the calories and fat you’ll cut with this simple trick.

5. Eat s-l-o-w. “It takes about 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to receive the signal that you’ve had enough to eat. If you wolf your food down before 20 minutes is up, you might not get that signal until you’ve had second helpings or served yourself a bowl of ice cream,” according to a Diabetes Self-Management article, “Slow Down, You Eat too Fast.”