BOSTON -- Many people spent the Fourth of July weekend eating and overeating, but experts say it is not too late to get back on track with a healthy diet this summer -- even if you plan to travel.

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Travel agent Arlene Lewis lost 53 pounds and has kept it off for 11 years. Now she leads Weight Watchers' meetings.

"If you continue on your eating frenzy that you did this weekend all through this next week, you're going to defeat your purpose. Let's begin right this moment," said Lewis.

Lewis helped Anne Myers lose 106 pounds.

Both women travel a lot and have learned to control their eating on the road -- from "all you can eat" cruise ship buffets to family barbecues. They said there are a few simple tips to follow to keep the pounds off when you are away from home:

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Don't Blow Diet On Vacation

Control portion size.

"Fill your plate with vegetables and then put the protein and carb on in small portions," said Lewis.

Bring your own food, if you can.

"I've been known to bring my own zucchini or summer squash and have someone put it on the grill, and I've been lucky to get some of it because people say, 'Wow, that's terrific!'" said Lewis.

That goes for airline travel, too. Travel with healthy sandwiches, vegetables, snacks, and water.

"I do travel with a cooler," said Lewis.

Plan ahead.

Mentally rehearse how you're going to respond to temptation.

"I'm going to visualize myself taking salad or I'm going to visualize myself saying, 'No, thank you.' What a concept! 'No, thank you,'" said Lewis.

Focus on the experience, not the food.

"I would eat anything that wasn't nailed down," Myers said. "And my focus was on the biggest ice cream cone I could get and what I could sneak behind the doors with no one watching me because I had to be careful with what I ate in public. But I don't have to worry about that now."

Be aware of your feelings. Not all hunger is physical.

"I've learned to pay attention; sometimes there's more going on that I have to pay attention to. Maybe stress being around family that I hadn't anticipated. I have to find other ways of dealing with that instead of reaching for food," said Myers.

Lewis and Myers agree that it may be too much to expect to lose weight while on vacation, but maintaining is just great.