How do you deal with weekends?

Options
I dont know if I am the only one but weekends ruin my whole week of work
I eat at a deficit from Monday to Friday but in the weekend I ruin it as I eat out with friends , family etc
I only need to lose 2lbs but its extremely difficult as I weigh 111lbs
How do you stay on track on weekends?
«1

Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,119 Member
    Options
    I exercise a whole lot more on weekends ... and so I can eat more. :)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Options
    2 pounds is within the normal daily weight fluctuation. 111 pounds is a low weight unless you are shorter than 5'. The less you have to lose, the harder it will be (and that's great because it means that you don't have to "get off those last pounds"). Maybe reassess your goals and your definitions.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,135 Member
    Options
    I don't treat the weekends differently from the other days of the week.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    Options
    Saturdays are easy. I burn a lot more calories in the garden, or at the beach with my son. This creates a really big deficit sometimes, as I don't eat any more than during the week.

    Sundays are more difficult as I eat out with friends, but I try to make good choices from what's available. If I exceed my calories by a small amount, it is only one day in a whole week. If its really bad, I might come home and get on the treadmill to get back a small calorie deficit.
  • JustDoIt987
    JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
    Options
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I exercise a whole lot more on weekends ... and so I can eat more. :)

    I dont have much time to exercise more though
  • JustDoIt987
    JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
    Options
    2 pounds is within the normal daily weight fluctuation. 111 pounds is a low weight unless you are shorter than 5'. The less you have to lose, the harder it will be (and that's great because it means that you don't have to "get off those last pounds"). Maybe reassess your goals and your definitions.

    I am 5'2 and my goal range was 109-111 lbs
    So i thought that since I hit 111lbs I should go back to eating in a deficit. Correct me if I am wrong
  • JustDoIt987
    JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
    Options
    2 lbs? Really?
    I wouldn't even care about them, my difference from evening to morning weigh is higher.

    On your original question:
    If you have difficulties to "stay on track" then don't.
    Mostly it will be easier to "burn" those calories by extra-workouts (The key word here is "Extra"). Means: If you know that tonight you are going to drop in at your favourite italian restaurant you usually will too roughly know what you are going to consume (e.g. antipasti, this delicious tomato-soup, scallopini, dolce, coffee ~ 2.500 kcal) all you need to do now is to plan a workout that burns most of those calories.

    Next thing is that you will soon realize that the magnificent dolce actually isn't worth the extra effort you have to spend to get rid of it again and you will change it from Tiramisu to fruit ... after this the question will arise whether antipasti and soup are actually needed and you will drop the antipasti ... step by step refining your meal until suddenly you notice that you are staying "on track" without any extra-workouts needed ...

    Thanks for the advice but the problem is this : How can I know how much calories are in a meal at a restaurant , especially if their nutritional data is not available online?
  • Rincewind_1965
    Rincewind_1965 Posts: 639 Member
    edited February 2017
    Options
    How can I know how much calories are in a meal at a restaurant

    Fact is you can never actually know how much calories a dish has, what you can do though is "estimate" based on the data available from the internet. You will almost never get the exact amount, but you will get close and in many cases close enough.

    From my example: If you estimate your meal to have 2,500 kcal then calculate it with 3,000 and plan a workout that burns 3,200 kcal ... this meaning that for the 4 courses meal from my example you'd have to run a half-marathon to get it from your hips.
  • comeonnow142857
    comeonnow142857 Posts: 310 Member
    edited February 2017
    Options
    I have a nutritionally dense core with low cals for breakfast (fatty fish, spinach, super milk) which is filling with taking up much daily allotted cals, and eat moderately for dinner (easiest way is to say no to desert and go real easy on the carbs - pasta, noodles, rice) If I'm going drinking I log my drinks.

    This is while losing serious weight. If I had 2lbs to lose I probably wouldn't sweat it, just don't splurge outright at dinner.
  • mbanks123
    mbanks123 Posts: 117 Member
    Options
    Make little lifestyle changes. I eat out a lot and I just need to be smarter with my decisions.
    Get water? You don't need a juice or a soft drink or even alcohol.
    Do you need a starter? Is a dessert worth it? Is there someone you can share the dessert with?
    Which main is the healthiest? Do you even need to finish it or are you satisfied by eating 2/3.

    Getting there... can you burn some calories walking there? Park further away? I always feel better walking after a meal.

    Like the others said, if you know you're going to indulge a little then up your exercise!

    Also try and plan when you are going to eat on a weekend. Don't get a sandwich when you're getting a coffee just because your friend is. Just wait until you can eat a proper meal :)
  • beerfoamy
    beerfoamy Posts: 1,520 Member
    Options
    well this weekend I had an overload on vodka and spent sunday at macdonalds

    but, over the week am still at a deficit, so am not going to worry

    like others have said, 2lbs is a pretty standard fluctuation, could 'disappear' tomorrow
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Options
    Two pounds or twenty pounds, it is important to figure out how to eat in moderation in a social setting. If you are going to be eating out and you know where you are going beforehand, it is helpful to check the menu before you go. Look at the calorie counts and have a plan for what you want to eat. This way you don't feel rushed and you aren't tempted to look at what other people are getting to determine your own choice. It also keeps the people you are with from feeling uncomfortable because you are looking for something low calorie. Stay away from breaded food. Don't eat the dinner rolls or the chips they bring so you won't notice how long the kitchen is taking. Look to fill your plate with vegetables. Eat more slowly than your friends. Aim to have two-thirds of your meal still on the plate when your friends finish.

    When I eat out, I usually ride my bicycle to get there. Not only does it burn calories, it is a lot easier to convince yourself not to eat too much when you know that you're going to have to make that ride back home with it sitting in your stomach.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Options
    For religious reasons, I can't write things down on the Jewish Sabbath (sundown Friday night till when it gets dark Saturday night), so Friday afternoon I pre-track what I'm going to eat. My weekly weigh-in time is Sunday morning, after getting up and using the bathroom, before breakfast. That's pretty much my incentive not to go off-track right there.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    Options
    Research and pre-logging definitely helps. I also leave myself a little buffer for the weekend. I always have a big meal on Sunday, so I save back about 100 cals a day during the week. Which gives me an additional 600 cals on Sunday. If I know it's going to be really crazy on Sunday, I'll also keep back some of my exercise cals. I've yet to go over my buffer in that one meal.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Options
    2 pounds is within the normal daily weight fluctuation. 111 pounds is a low weight unless you are shorter than 5'. The less you have to lose, the harder it will be (and that's great because it means that you don't have to "get off those last pounds"). Maybe reassess your goals and your definitions.

    I am 5'2 and my goal range was 109-111 lbs
    So i thought that since I hit 111lbs I should go back to eating in a deficit. Correct me if I am wrong

    At 5'2 and 111 lbs you are within the normal weight category for your height, toward the lower end of the range.

    Most people choose a maintenance range of 3-5 lbs that they fluctuate between, your 2 lb range is pretty narrow and most women fluctuate that much naturally from one day to another.

    So no, I don't think you need to go back on a deficit when you hit 111 lbs. I do think you need to come up with a long term strategy for maintenance that enables you to deal with weekend splurges and restaurant meals without anxiety or worry, because these are a normal part of life.

    What are your maintenance calories? How much exercise do you do? Did you recently lose weight to get you to this number? How much and how fast did you lose?

    I'm also 5'2, maintaining b/w 118-122. My maintenance cals are about 2200. I tend to eat a little lighter during the week, to bank some calories for the weekend when I tend to have bigger meals, go out to eat, etc. I save 100-200 cals during the week so I have 500-1000 extra on the weekends.

    For restaurants, I do the same as when I was losing. I look online at the restaurant menu and see if they have nutrition info available. If not, I look in MFP database. I pick something that sounds good and figure out how to fit it in my cals for the day. If there isn't an entry for that restaurant, I try to find something similar from a chain or a recipe that sounds reasonable, usually choosing an entry on the higher side to account for extra oil and butter used in restaurants. I also know that eating out is going to likely cause a temporary spike in water weight (even up to 3 lbs which could put you out of your acceptable range and why I think you need to broaden that or not weigh if it's right after a restaurant meal).

    Good luck.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    Options
    Every morning- even on weekends- I figure out what I am going to eat for the day and prelog it. It isn't an all day food fest.
    I generally eat the same amount of calories for each meal time (300 breakfast, 500 dinner for example) so if I had to make changes to my plans it isn't hard to look for a different item with the same calories.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Options
    Only 2 lbs - wow, great job on your goals that number is small compared to my goals!

    Weekends are almost easier for me because I'm not grabbing what I meal prepped, or worried about getting hungry in between my planned meals. I'm home more and can actually cook most of my meals. My time is less restricted for exercise and can do more with more energy (because I get a little more sleep). I also allow myself a "splurge" meal each week because I'm human. I normally plan it and save my splurge for the weekend.

    Try ordering from the "light" menu or just special order chicken breast (almost every place has chicken), with side salad or steamed veggies. Almost every restaurant has other options. If you must have a "splurge" just portion control it. Drink plenty of water and move more on the weekends.

    Goodluck
  • JustDoIt987
    JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
    Options
    How can I know how much calories are in a meal at a restaurant

    Fact is you can never actually know how much calories a dish has, what you can do though is "estimate" based on the data available from the internet. You will almost never get the exact amount, but you will get close and in many cases close enough.

    From my example: If you estimate your meal to have 2,500 kcal then calculate it with 3,000 and plan a workout that burns 3,200 kcal ... this meaning that for the 4 courses meal from my example you'd have to run a half-marathon to get it from your hips.

    Great advice ! Thank you :)
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Options
    Weekends are actually easier for me, as I tend to have more time to move which burns more calories and allows for more intake. But in general, I plan. Pre-log the day, to have an outline of my calories. Then adjust as needed.
    I dont know if I am the only one but weekends ruin my whole week of work
    I eat at a deficit from Monday to Friday but in the weekend I ruin it as I eat out with friends , family etc
    I only need to lose 2lbs but its extremely difficult as I weigh 111lbs
    How do you stay on track on weekends?