Great until I hit the weekend.

eisners

So I just began using MFP religiously during the week and have been able to be a little below my 1600 calorie goal and am also trying to only eat healthy carbs. I am doing great during the week and work out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. When it comes to the weekend I completely blow it. I have a very active social life which involves drinking and eating out and it makes it really hard to lose. I try to keep my weight loss to myself because if I am open about it, people have unrealistic expectations and a lot of people like to sabotage weight loss of others. I feel like I am in such a good place all week and feel great and I also feel like let myself down on weekends. I never have been the kind of person that can have a "cheat" day because it turns into cheat weeks.

Any tips on getting through the weekend and eating out? I know many people just say order salad and don't drink, but some realistic suggestions that are more of a lifestyle change would be really helpful.

ScorpDX

As for a lifestyle change, surround yourself with positive people who help you with your goals. If anyone sabotages your weight loss then they're not the kind of person you need in your life. As for not just saying order a salad and don't drink...we'll that's just it, if you don't want to make those changes then you can't expect any results.

Lizzy622

If I know I am going out I try to eat low calorie filling foods for breakfast and lunch and save my calories for dinner and drinks. I also try to get a workout in to up my allowance. I love dancing so sometimes burn tons on the dance floor. I limit to 2 drinks (3 if drinking Yeunling Light) and drink lots of water in between. If it is a special occasion (something that I do less than once a month) I let myself go to maintenance for that one day.

gigi5519

I have a very active social life as well which involves a lot of eating and drinking. I'm great during the week but the weekends were sabotaging any progress made. I started drinking a water along with my wine or beer. I do not get another drink until water is gone too. That's actually helped a lot. As far as food, get in a workout in the morning. I burned about 700 calories yesterday doing an hour of zumba before going to a cookout. Good luck!

126siany

So I just began using MFP religiously during the week and have been able to be a little below my 1600 calorie goal and am also trying to only eat healthy carbs. I am doing great during the week and work out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. When it comes to the weekend I completely blow it. I have a very active social life which involves drinking and eating out and it makes it really hard to lose. I try to keep my weight loss to myself because if I am open about it, people have unrealistic expectations and a lot of people like to sabotage weight loss of others. I feel like I am in such a good place all week and feel great and I also feel like let myself down on weekends. I never have been the kind of person that can have a "cheat" day because it turns into cheat weeks.

Any tips on getting through the weekend and eating out? I know many people just say order salad and don't drink, but some realistic suggestions that are more of a lifestyle change would be really helpful.

Do you log the weekends? You'l find things to cut or limit pretty quickly if you do.

You can definitely cut back on drinking. If you're like most people, eating well goes out the window once you've got a few drinks in you so it's a triple-whammy to your plans: 1. Useless calories 2.Unplanned food choices 3. Your body prioritizes processing the alcohol so what you're eating with it is getting stored as fat.

No idea what you're drinking now, but spirits with some zero calorie mixer will be your best calorie bet. Most spirits are around 65 calories per shot. I'd still limit drinking, but if you're going to drink, lower-calorie choices are better.

tjohnson2020

I am in the same boat as you. I stayed under my calorie goal the whole week, lost 7 pounds and just blew it on the weekend. :-( When I weighed this morning, I had gained 2 pounds back!!! :-( It's so disappointing and discouraging. I guess planning meals better on the weekend and not wavering is the only way to go??

iLoveMyPitbull1225

If you know you're going to be going out, plan ahead for it. Make sure you get a good workout in during the day. Eat light, low calorie early in the day to save up some calories. Then when you go out at night, make a sensible choice. No calorie counts are not always available but you know that getting something like a salad is better than chicken fingers and fries. There is always a better option, it just takes common sense and willpower. Even some chain restaurant menus these days have lighter far/low calorie options listed.

FindingAmy77

just check out the online nutrition info on your restaurants you go to. look at the menu. make a plan that has options of a few choices including what you will be drinking. then plan your days around the place you go. for example: I like applebees a lot for my go out place but sometimes I choose chillis for the fajitas and sometimes I go to Tijuana flats. I like to check out the menu the day before I go or right before I go and make a few choices to choose from that look good to me. I log it all in. THen I plan on what I may choose to drink. Soda water is pretty good. you can mix it with limes/lemons or even ask for a half pop and half soda water to drink. if you must have a few drinks then figure out what you like to drink and get creative on how to ask for it to be prepared. Like I love a good margarita. I ask how they make it or just flat out tell them how to make it so it only has one shot of white tequila and lime juice with a splash of soda water with like five limes. it may be not as good as a regular one but still does the trick and tastes good. ( I am a bartender so I know all the tricks on mixing)

you can still lose weight and have fun while living life. it just takes more brain power.

edit: definitely add in a work out in the morning and make it a heavier one so you can "earn" those drinks. That's what I do when I know me and the hubby will be going out for the night. if I don't work out then Amy gets no alcohol.

eisners

Thanks everyone for the replies. I tend to drink Bacardi and diet coke when I drink or a dry white wine. I will stick with the Bacardi from now on and make sure I am tracking on the weekends. I tend to get so busy that I forget to log food on the weekends. I know this is a process. Unfortunately I can not just order salads because I have IBS that is highly irritated by lettuce. I wish it was that easy.

What kinds of entries do you order other than salads? I tend to stick with fish and chicken and vegetables but sometimes there are so many hidden calories.

I like the idea of drinking water after each drink! It is hard when drinking is part of the community culture, this seems to be especially true in Wisconsin. Maybe I will suggest more active activities other than just hitting a bar.

sexy_mamma

I used to have a harder time staying focused and active on weekends . But now I try my best to make it to the gym and I go walking with the kids at the park just about every day even in weekends . So far that's been working out great for me and I do online YouTube workout videos with music I like to get me going! You can do it! ????????

myjourney16

I try to keep my weight loss to myself because if I am open about it, people have unrealistic expectations and a lot of people like to sabotage weight loss of others.

This. I used to to this exact same thing because I was embarrassed of my weight loss if I didn't get anywhere with it. What I have learned now is that telling your family and closest friends about your weight loss is a HUGE help. It motivates you because everyone is proud of you for accomplishing a weight loss. Also, they are aware that you are trying to lose weight so you may get more compliments, which for me is a major confidence booster!!

Don't be ashamed of yourself for striving for a healthier version of you!!

gigi5519

I'm in Wisconsin too! Our summers revolve around cookouts, camping and Brewers tailgating. Winters are Badger and Packer games. My downfall is I'm a complete beer girl but I started adding a water in between beers and am down those pesky 5lbs I've been trying to lose for months. I have a really hard time tracking on weekends but it's something I acknowledge and am trying to own going forward. This isn't a quick fix, it's a lifestyle change and I have to keep reminding myself that.