You blow it on the weekend!!

mrsyac2

Having some treats now and then is fine, but if you find you do very well during the week only to eat yourself silly on the weekends, you may be hurting your weight loss goals.
To lose one pound of fat in one week, you would need to cut 500 calories with diet and exercise for 7 days. If you only follow that for 5 days, then eat way over your limit for two more days, you're taking two steps forward and one step back. The trick is to plan your indulgences so that you can have some fun while staying on track with your weight loss goals. Try these tips for a healthy weekend:

Avoid a free-for-all weekend. Instead, choose one or two treats to enjoy and continue eating healthy the rest of the time.

Avoid rewarding yourself with food. If you've been eating healthy all week, it's natural to want to reward yourself with a yummy treat. That kind of thinking can set you back (much like a smoker who rewards himself for staying smoke-free with a cigarette). Instead of food, reward yourself with a calorie-free treat--a trip to the movies, a massage or a new pair of shoes.

Keep moving. If you like to rest on the weekends, why not make your rests more active? Spend time taking a long walk with your family or tossing a football in the backyard.

mrsyac2

Having some treats now and then is fine, but if you find you do very well during the week only to eat yourself silly on the weekends, you may be hurting your weight loss goals.
To lose one pound of fat in one week, you would need to cut 500 calories with diet and exercise for 7 days. If you only follow that for 5 days, then eat way over your limit for two more days, you're taking two steps forward and one step back. The trick is to plan your indulgences so that you can have some fun while staying on track with your weight loss goals. Try these tips for a healthy weekend:

Avoid a free-for-all weekend. Instead, choose one or two treats to enjoy and continue eating healthy the rest of the time.

Avoid rewarding yourself with food. If you've been eating healthy all week, it's natural to want to reward yourself with a yummy treat. That kind of thinking can set you back (much like a smoker who rewards himself for staying smoke-free with a cigarette). Instead of food, reward yourself with a calorie-free treat--a trip to the movies, a massage or a new pair of shoes.

Keep moving. If you like to rest on the weekends, why not make your rests more active? Spend time taking a long walk with your family or tossing a football in the backyard.

kendallalissa

Thanks for this reminder! My goal this past few weeks has been to concentrate on weekends. Once the weather gets nicer I'll be able to free myself from the "bordem eating." I've basically been maintaining my weight (which is 2.5 lbs lower than my goal weight), instead of losing. So I think it's the weekends that are to blame. Thanks again!

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mrsyac2

no problem-- you will get there--

Phoenixflame

Definitely great advice--particularly the part about not rewarding oneself with food. I used to do that, and all my attempts to lose weight failed.

However, I'll sometimes reward myself with food-related things, such as a bag of high-quality coffee, or some really nice tea. But these rewards often have nothing to do with losing weight. Like, if I ace my first French exam, I'm going to celebrate by buying some specialty spices from this French cafe I'm fond of.

But I'll never say that "I deserve it after having lost a pound!" and chow down on a hamburger.

mrsyac2

glad it was helpful- I don't treat myself with food I treat myself with spending money..

I didn't gain weight because I gorged myself with foods I basically got lazy and I kept eating like I was an active person- So I lost myself for awhile and now I am back and better than ever and just trying to get the rest of me back which is my body.

staceyw37

thanks! how'd you know that was just what i needed! i splurged at dinner tonight--with lots of fat free cool whip mixed in fat free sugar free choc pudding w/crumbled up graham cracker crusts--and now my calories are way over today! but i did it knowingly. i really wanted that food and now that i had it, i'm satisfied. and i know tomorrow and monday will mean lots extra exercise to balance it out. good thing tuesday is my check in day--i have time to recover.
the challenge i can see for me, though, will be how to have a little of those things i crave. i know i didn't do a whole day of "binge" nor a whole weekend (but i used to), but just the same, the giant extras really add up fast.
i need that self-talk that says, keep at it--have just a little and i could have more another time. and do i really want to do all that extra exercise?
what else do you do to avoid those eating excesses?

jnikitow

I make my weigh in day on Mondays, so that I make sure I keep eating healthy on the weekends.

mrsyac2

I make my weigh in day on Mondays, so that I make sure I keep eating healthy on the weekends.

Thats great motivation!!!

ChubbyBunny

I sooo needed this today!
Thanks, I need to readjust some of my habits and weekend plans!
:flowerforyou:

sarabear

I make my weigh in day on Mondays, so that I make sure I keep eating healthy on the weekends.

I need to start doing that! I have Fridays for my weigh in and that stinks because I'm like WOW I'm down, now time to chow down!!! WRONG! Thanks for the reminder, a few calories too late, but THANKS!!!

ziggycat

I logged on this morning with this question in mind - so many thanks. I didn't overdo it the whole weekend like I used to - I would finish work fri and start with wine and takeaway fri night. I was good fri, and sat day up until 7.30 I had only had something lilke 700 cals, then I sort of lost it - had very good dinner - calorie wise, but then reckon went over by about 800 cals!!!

I am back on track today, but not too sure if I can get to the gym, so foodwise I will try and stick to 1000 cals for a couple of days, hopefully that will even things up a bit for me.

Weekends create a probelm for many people don't they, its crazy really, cos today I don't feel totally rubbish, but I know I have been stupid and am annoyed with myself.

Have good day everyone
Ziggy

LosingIt4good

Great advice!

I also reccomend planning your meals ahead of time. I found that when i plan breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on Saturday for the next week, it not only makes grocery shopping easier and cheaper, but Im not tempted to buy things at the store that arent within my plan or that I simply dont need. I hit the grocery store and buy what I need for the week. Make ahead some things for the week (Im big on convience!) and it makes it WAY easier to stay on track. It doesnt matter if you go shopping on sunday or tuesday.. just plan 7 days worth of healthy meals and snacks. It makes it easier and cheaper to eat healthy rather than going out.

Save your money and your waistline for those new clothes once you reap the rewards!

aminor61

When I saw this it was like the lord brought you to me. Thanks so much! Your motivation is helping me to keep standing. I had a some problems when family members wanted to meet at Pizza Hut. This place is a problem for me. I have been faithful with this website. This is the first time in my life that I am able to watch every day where I am going wrong.

I forgot myself. I had 4 pieces of pizza. It was in before I even knew it. I was talking, etc. I cried because I had seen results this week and I had worked hard.

Luckily, I ate really healthy at breakfast. I thought that I blew it. I put everything in and I just made my quota for the entire day in just 2 meals.

This definitely will help me not beat myself up and motivate me to keep trying.

purpleparadox

I've been working on rewarding myself with non-food things, or maybe something that's food related but isn't food- I recently got myself a super-cute new lunch bag, for example. (Not only did it reward me for eating moderately healthy for a while, it also encourages me to keep eating healthy instead of grabbing lunch on campus while I'm at work!) When I do want to reward myself with food, I either eat one piece of dark chocolate (the Dove Promises candies are perfect for that), or I have some sherbet or other low fat, low calorie sweet treat.