Struggling On The Weekends

ledzeppelinfan1

I'm frustrated tonight. The recent trend is that I'm doing very well through the week, averaging a deficit of about 500-750 per day. Then the weekend comes around and I destroy all that hard work and discipline. I'm not one to dwell on the negative, but this is frustrating me. Oh well, guess I'll just have to do better. It's not like anyone is twisting my arm.

chimaerandi

You might find it helpful to run a weekly deficit. I bank for the weekends, and it's made my life 100x happier and better, and I feel pretty free and undeprived.

TashaaaKayeee

Maybe set up a food schedule for yourself specifically just for the weekends? Maybe that will help! Just gotta think positive you got this!

CassidyScaglione

So stop doing it then. You know it happens, so take precautions against it. Log in advance, bank exercise calories for the weekend, whatever. Find something that works and do it.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

chimaerandi wrote: »

You might find it helpful to run a weekly deficit. I bank for the weekends, and it's made my life 100x happier and better, and I feel pretty free and undeprived.

This ^^

ledzeppelinfan1

Well, I had my first official weigh in today and despite my drop off on the weekends, I've still lost 8.3 lbs in my first month which is right about the pace I'm aiming for. Goal this month is to improve those weekend derailment issues. Think I'll just eat at maintenance on the weekends so I have a little leeway to relax a bit.

Dnarules

ledzeppelinfan1 wrote: »

Well, I had my first official weigh in today and despite my drop off on the weekends, I've still lost 8.3 lbs in my first month which is right about the pace I'm aiming for. Goal this month is to improve those weekend derailment issues. Think I'll just eat at maintenance on the weekends so I have a little leeway to relax a bit.

This sounds like a good place to start. And make sure you are logging accurately throughout the week.

Numer1ca

That sounds like a good plan. You don't want to set yourself up to feel deprived or you'll resent your "diet".

ledzeppelinfan1

Yeah. I'm meticulous about logging correctly. No reason to lie or fudge the numbers. Man, I really hate the D word...lol

Sued0nim

ledzeppelinfan1 wrote: »

Well, I had my first official weigh in today and despite my drop off on the weekends, I've still lost 8.3 lbs in my first month which is right about the pace I'm aiming for. Goal this month is to improve those weekend derailment issues. Think I'll just eat at maintenance on the weekends so I have a little leeway to relax a bit.

Makes sense ...save a couple of hundred each day towards your weekend and then your weekly calorie defecit won't suffer

blueboxgeek

Sounds like you got yourself a good plan.

I work Mon - Fri so I always do a little extra walking or time at the gym so I can have a treat on a Saturday evening or an extra Yorkshire pudding with Sunday dinner

Sued0nim

blueboxgeek wrote: »

Sounds like you got yourself a good plan.

I work Mon - Fri so I always do a little extra walking or time at the gym so I can have a treat on a Saturday evening or an extra Yorkshire pudding with Sunday dinner

Calories well spent

callsitlikeiseeit

chimaerandi wrote: »

You might find it helpful to run a weekly deficit. I bank for the weekends, and it's made my life 100x happier and better, and I feel pretty free and undeprived.

that.

while i dont 'officially' do it that way, the deficit i build up through the week of unlogged exercise helps cover weekend drinking.

murp4069

I struggle on the weekends as well. Last week I tried what some of the others have suggested regarding a weekly deficit instead of a daily deficit. I think I did pretty well, we'll see how the next few weeks of that goes. If it works well for me over the next few weeks, it would sure make those weekends a lot easier.

mccraee

are there specific things which are tripping you up on the weekends? I struggle with parties where I don't control the menu (dinner or snacks) and with just being home sitting around with a whole kitchen full of food (Unlike being at work where there is only what I've brought in and treats in the coffee bar, which I have plans for how to deal with).

Parties I deal with by planning and saving up some calories. I don't drink at all which helps tons. My husband would rather drink than eat at these parties so either can work. Being home is harder and I try to stick to my eating plan and actually "close down" my kitchen and don't go in there at the off times.

It helps to figure out what situations are tripping you up and then making plans for that. And, then refining the plans because it is hard to rework your whole lifestyle in one swoop.

ashatay100

Banking is the way to go! I couldn't do it with out it. I may crave cheese cake terribly, knowing just a bite won't do. But, if I tell myself, "Wait till Sunday. Just wait." , it helps me get through the craving. I have found that once Sunday rolls around, I've lost the desire. But if I haven't I buy a single slice and enjoy it slowly. Saver when you do splurge. But don't, I repeat, don't ever think of it as a reward. I think of it as just fulfilling a desire. A reward for me is getting a massage after a week of working out. Hope it goes well for you.

kshama2001

I'm likely to have bigger dinners on the weekends, so I exercise more earlier in the day to earn some extra calories.

chiptease

The weekend is hard for me too. You just have to be conscious of how much you're eating, there's no other way around it. I keep a separate Excel spreadsheet that calculates my weekly deficit. Even on my worst weeks, my M-F deficit keeps my total weekly deficit hovering at around -1500 calories (small deficits are good too!!). Sometimes you can't help it (big gatherings, happy hour, etc.) but the best advice I can offer is be mindful of what you're going to eat throughout the day and your portion sizes. If you're planning on going out and eating/drinking a lot, perhaps skip breakfast or eat a smaller meal.

Francl27

Are you really eating a surplus of 2500 calories during the week end? (well 3500, if your goal has a deficit of 500).

I find it hard to believe... but if you are, I strongly suggest that you think hard about why you do it... because it's definitely possible to eat what you want during the week as well within your calories, so you don't blow it on the week end.