With the arrival of spring also comes the arrival of the baseball season—which means that , starting in April, friends and families across the country will once again be flocking to ballparks to enjoy the wonderful spring weather and the crack (or ping) of the bat as they root for the home team.

And, as the century-old song indicates, enjoying stadium food has always been part of the allure of the ballpark experience. But what do you do if you’re losing weight with Nutrisystem? Do you toss baseball from your life? Do you give in and indulge during your day at the diamond? Here’s a primer to help you successfully navigate through the next several months as you partake in America’s Pastime.

Plan ahead. Before every pro baseball game, the managers present their lineups to the umpires before the game, indicating who is playing and at what position—in essence, they’ve planned ahead. And you can do the same before you go to the ballpark! Did you know that many teams list their ballpark foods on their websites, and even where you can find the different types of foods at the ballpark? All you need to do is take ten minutes on the Internet doing some research (or call the park if it’s easier) so you have a plan in place before you leave. You literally have a map readily available for making the smartest choices—use it!

Bag it. Maybe you’d like to avoid ballpark food altogether. It may be easier for you to bring your own food and drinks, so you can avoid pitfalls entirely. This is when having a Nutrisystem bar is particularly convenient; put it in a bag or cooler where it can stay cool. But, knowing how strict stadium security can be, you may wonder what the rules are at the ballpark for your bags and coolers. Again, you can find this information at most baseball teams’ websites, which will tell you what’s allowed and not allowed into the stadium. Plan accordingly.

Use a food pinch-hitter. Baseball teams do this to succeed, so why not you? Pinch-hitters are substitutes for players who don’t hit quite as well (such as pitchers). When you’re at the stadium, you should use the same strategy if you eat ballpark food—substitute smarter options for the less healthy ones. After all, there’s a wide array of food that probably won’t be helping your weight loss, such as burgers, fries, sandwiches (steak, sausage, pork), hot dogs, pizza, nachos, ice cream and cookies. The good thing is that many ballparks do offer healthier options. So, for example, have a veggie burger or hot dog instead of a regular burger or hot dog (and for more hot dog tips, see this issue’s Fast Facts), a salad instead of nachos, peanuts instead of fries, and yogurt instead of ice cream. The best food pinch-hitter of all? Again, it’s bringing your own food so you can stay in total control of what you’re eating.

Drink in the experience. Let’s face it. Baseball games can be long, upwards of over three hours. So it’s especially important to stay hydrated during your ballpark excursion—not just for your weight but for your health. This is especially true for day games, which can get brutally hot. It seems, however, that the most commonly bought drinks at the ballpark are beers and soda, neither of which is optimally helpful in keeping you adequately hydrated. If you choose to get a beer, go for a lower-calorie version and try to find a smaller option than the standard 16-ounce size. If you go for soda, as long as it’s diet your weight won’t suffer; however, because of the sugary nature of the drink, your thirst might. The best bet by far is to bring or buy water—and lots of it. It will keep you cool, it’s good for you, and it’s good for your diet. So drink up!

The bottom line: There’s no reason why you can’t go out and enjoy a ballgame this season. Just staying in control and making smart decisions can be the difference between striking out and hitting a home run with your weight loss!