Weekends are difficult

Karabobarra

I find it more difficult to eat normally on the weekends. I'm either very busy and don't eat enough, staying up later than usual and eating very late at night (and usually carbs) or totally blowing up the diary. I want to be able to enjoy myself on the weekends but don't want it to compromise the work I've done during the week.

Let me hear your guys tips and tricks for getting through the weekends without trashing your hard work.

sc1572

bump!

lisadhancock

I couldn't agree more. weekends are hard.

swimmchick87

On weekends I tend to let myself eat "less nutriously", but I don't go over my calorie allottment. Does that make sense? So I'll have more "junky" food that tastes really good, but I can't overeat it. If I choose to spend 800 of my calories on buffalo wings, that's fine. I also make sure that I still go to the gym on saturday and sunday (Friday is my rest and "cheat meal" day).

swimmchick87

On weekends I tend to let myself eat "less nutriously", but I don't go over my calorie allottment. Does that make sense? So I'll have more "junky" food that tastes really good, but I can't overeat it. If I choose to spend 800 of my calories on buffalo wings, that's fine. I also make sure that I still go to the gym on saturday and sunday (Friday is my rest and "cheat meal" day).

melelana

I've been having the same problem. Went to my grandmother's birthday party this weekend and it was a diet disaster. She kept giving me more and more food and I didn't want to refuse.

I find I REALLY have to work out on weekends to earn some extra calories. Generally, days go better when I burn off at least 200 calories.

bedoozled

I have trouble with this too! I typically let myself eat whatever I want one meal a week (haha within reason, I guess, it's not like I order in three pizzas and eat to explosion), and since I know weekends are hard, I generally let that be a weekend meal (Sunday brunch!) - I find it's easier to resist temptations when you know you've got a treat coming up!

sleepytexan

I think of Saturday like any other day; I usually have a good workout; either spin or an easy 35 mile ride, so I get plenty of calories to eat on Saturday.

Most Sundays I rest from exercise, but eat as much as 2x BMR, so up to 2600 calories -- It's a spike day for me and fuels me for my Monday workout.

I'm set on 1 lb/ week loss, so 6 days at 500 deficit (-3000) then on spike day I eat up to 1200 extra calories, so that is net (-1800) (so really about 1/2 lb loss) for the week.

A good way to think about your off days are as refueling days for big workouts, so even if you don't want to go as extreme as 2xBMR, you could just plan for 500 or so extra on each weekend day -- you'll still be netting a deficit overall for the week.

I NEVER recommend that anyone eat fewer calories on other days to make up though -- if you work out a lot you NEED your calories.

Works for me.

blessings.

Eleanorjanethinner

Yes, I struggle lots with weekends as there's so much more temptation available than while I'm at work.

My husband and I have been the habit of going out for brunch in a cafe or out for dinner on Saturday and it's not really possible to make good choices. Better choices, but not good choices. And then there's socialising, which almost always seems to involve food and is sometimes hard to turn down without offending! All I can do is try to exercise as much as possible in order to earn myself calories to eat out.

Also, I try and stick to porridge (oatmeal) for breakfast as it's filling, and still eat fruit for snacks and drink lots of water.

keddabee

I also find this really hard! I have no routine in the weekends as my weekend vary every week! I am always running around with my nieces and nephews but also end up eating a lot of junk food!!!

I'm glad I'm not alone in this!

Maybe I should do as swimmchick87 suggests and get my butt up and moving on the weekend even more incluidng working out!

cbirdso

The key is to make a plan for the weekend that you can live with and stick to it. Since the weekend is different from the weekdays, it is important to have a plan SPECIFICALLY designed for the weekend. It may seem a bit anal, but plan out EACH bit of food and when to eat it and also plan for some form of exercise. Don't make a plan that is restrictive and unrealistic. In other words, if your normal Saturday is to sleep late and go out in the evening, plan your calories and activity around that. If it includes going to a relatives house and having food not prepared by you, come up with a plan that does the least amount of damage (like eating before hand and then eating only small portions at the relative's house, etc.)

Be generous with yourself, but firm in your resolve to stick with whatever plan you design. Over time you will get better at knowing what works to keep you on your weight loss track and how to tweak what you are doing for the best results.

Karabobarra

Thanks guys...these are all really great ideas, I usually do a double workout at least one day on the weekend so I'm not struggling with going over calories as much as I am having time to eat properly or eat enough..

ReinasWrath

I think of Saturday like any other day; I usually have a good workout; either spin or an easy 35 mile ride, so I get plenty of calories to eat on Saturday.

Most Sundays I rest from exercise, but eat as much as 2x BMR, so up to 2600 calories -- It's a spike day for me and fuels me for my Monday workout.

I'm set on 1 lb/ week loss, so 6 days at 500 deficit (-3000) then on spike day I eat up to 1200 extra calories, so that is net (-1800) (so really about 1/2 lb loss) for the week.

A good way to think about your off days are as refueling days for big workouts, so even if you don't want to go as extreme as 2xBMR, you could just plan for 500 or so extra on each weekend day -- you'll still be netting a deficit overall for the week.

I NEVER recommend that anyone eat fewer calories on other days to make up though -- if you work out a lot you NEED your calories.

Works for me.

blessings.

I really like thinking of it that way, of replenishing!

Semperfione

I agree on the planning of what and when to eat on the weekends is the key. I tend to slip on day of the weekend but not to the point it brings me over my calorie limit. I still feel like I cheated in some way too. I love the answer you have here, planning. We all don't plan to go off our way of life in eating the wrong things, we just choose to....or not to.