November 12, 2009

I Blow it on The Weekends

“I’ve done good all week long with my eating and exercise. The weekend is here and I just want to relax and have some fun. All my hard work goes out the window! Oh well, I’ll start over again on Monday.”

If you’re like most people, the weekends are not “planned” as well as the weekdays are. Weekends are less structured and vary from week to week. You may have a wedding one weekend, go out to the movies another, enjoy a road trip the next weekend.

These types of events lead us to poor meal planning. Without a plan, you’re more likely to stray from the healthy habits you have been working so hard to develop. There is little to no time for exercise either.

So how can you avoid gaining weight over the weekend after you have successfully lost throughout the week?

Here’s a few tips.

* Plan family activities like bike rides or walks in the park. This builds in exercise, but also includes family time. If you are outdoors for long periods of time, pack a healthy picnic and enjoy that with the family.
* Carry a water bottle with you to your weekend activities. Just like during the week, it’s important that you get enough water. Also, having water handy helps you to avoid high calorie sodas and juices.

* If you are doing some mall shopping, avoid the Food Court. Instead, pack some healthy snacks in case you get hungry. If you must have a meal in the Food Court, pick a healthy option like Subway and watch your portion sizes.

* Plan ahead!! If you are going out to eat, find the restaurant’s menu and nutritional information on-line. You’ll have plenty of time to make a healthy choice before you get there.

* Keep up with your diet and exercise journal on the weekends. Use it to pinpoint your difficulties, so that you can evaluate ways to attack your weaknesses.

* Batch cook some of your favorite foods over the weekend. This keeps you thinking about healthy choices and supplies you with enough food for the week so all you will have to do is reheat.

* Saturday or Sunday is a good day to choose as a rest day from exercise. Monday through Friday you should hit your workouts hard, but on the weekend, take a day off, and the other day, go for something lighter like a walk.
* If you know you’re going to a social event (wedding, birthday party, girls night out) with foods out of your weight loss plan, eat a light snack beforehand. While at your function you won’t feel as famished and can enjoy a few light treats and not be tempted to go overboard.

* Avoid alcohol. Easier said than done for some, but those empty alcohol calories will add up big time after only one drink.(Or if you must get your “BUZZ” on at least do it with as few calories as possible. Don’t add juices and cream to your drink)