Tip to avoiding weight gain on the weekends??

2

Replies

  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I have the same problem. I kill myself working out 5 days a week and watch my calories like a hawk, so I often feel like I'm entitled to rest and eat what I want on the weekends. And on those weekends, I find myself undoing an entire week's worth of hard work.

    The thing is, you probably do enough during the week to avoid gaining weight, even if you fall off the wagon on the weekends. But you don't do enough during the week to continue LOSING weight if you're going to eat, drink, and be merry on weekends.

    First, the obvious: you don't have to drink alcohol or eat poorly just because everyone else is. If you're an adult, I don't want to hear about social pressure. Secondly, understand that "bad" foods and drinks are typically high in sodium, so it's pretty common for people who eat clean all week to gain water weight after a weekend of partying. It may take you a few days to get that off, and then a few days after that you're partying again, so your weight goes right back up. Finally, at some point, usually when you get down to within 10 to 15 lbs of your goal weight, you have to come to realize that "every now and then" doesn't mean "every weekend," and it most definitely doesn't mean "all weekend long."
  • Anya06
    Anya06 Posts: 95
    I plan ahead for the nights when I know eating less healthy and alcohol will he involved and make sure that I exercise a bit harder that day to earn callories to eat :) I have one of those nights almost every week,as I have quite a demanding job so its my way of relaxing and switching off...i pre-log as much as I can and just make sure that my breakfast and lunch r mega healthy that day too :)
  • antizoni1
    antizoni1 Posts: 334
    I exercise longer and harder on the weekends that way I can eat anything and drink anything I want
  • Anya06
    Anya06 Posts: 95
    I have the same problem. I kill myself working out 5 days a week and watch my calories like a hawk, so I often feel like I'm entitled to rest and eat what I want on the weekends. And on those weekends, I find myself undoing an entire week's worth of hard work.

    The thing is, you probably do enough during the week to avoid gaining weight, even if you fall off the wagon on the weekends. But you don't do enough during the week to continue LOSING weight if you're going to eat, drink, and be merry on weekends.

    First, the obvious: you don't have to drink alcohol or eat poorly just because everyone else is. If you're an adult, I don't want to hear about social pressure. Secondly, understand that "bad" foods and drinks are typically high in sodium, so it's pretty common for people who eat clean all week to gain water weight after a weekend of partying. It may take you a few days to get that off, and then a few days after that you're partying again, so your weight goes right back up. Finally, at some point, usually when you get down to within 10 to 15 lbs of your goal weight, you have to come to realize that "every now and then" doesn't mean "every weekend," and it most definitely doesn't mean "all weekend long."

    couldnt agree more :) i let myself one night of freedom but make sure that hangover munchies dont take over the next day and it seems to work for me
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
    dont drink.
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    Honestly, one or two days of a few poor eating choices won't ruin your diet. Just make smart choices but allow yourself a little wiggle room. Have A drink or split a small dessert or something. Moderation!
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
    Odds are you are not totally binging out on the weekends so more realistically the bad food choices are making you retain more water than throughout the week. If you are going to go out to dinner and have drinks be sure to hydrate hydrate all day before going and even continue throughout the night if possiable. It will make a world of difference. Trust me I have been there. :)
  • HelenDootson
    HelenDootson Posts: 443 Member
    Make official weigh day the beginning of the week - I dont splurge at the weekends as I get weighed on a Tuesday lunch time - I do think to myself 'On tuesday night I am going to have......' I never do as I am always so chuffed with the weigh in that my 'I can do this' head reappears. Good luck
  • beckamarie
    beckamarie Posts: 23 Member
    I try to come up with social events that don't center around food. Instead of making plans to go out for drinks, make plans to grab a cup of coffee/tea and go window shopping. A 0 calorie cup of tea and two hours of walking around stores ends up being more of a work out than sitting on the sofa, you still get to hang out with friends and family, and you haven't over indulged. Little changes in your social plans like this can really start to add up!

    THIS HAS BEEN HUGE FOR ME!!! I do this exact same thing.
  • beckamarie
    beckamarie Posts: 23 Member
    dont drink.

    well then - there is ALOT to say for this one also....
  • Laddiegirl
    Laddiegirl Posts: 382 Member
    I have the same issue and so far what I've done is 3 things.
    1. Check out the restaurant beforehand and preplan your meal. My BF has been super supportive about picking restaurants that'll work for me (he eats anything, I'm lucky he's not picky, loL!).
    2. I rarely drink so alcohol or drinks aren't calories I struggle to fit in. If you like that drink, find lower calorie drinks and fit them in your day.
    3. Say no to dessert. It sucks, and I used to love the group outings to the local ice cream parlour but I've learned to say no if I haven't fit those calories into my day. If I really want something, I'll take a few bites of my BF"s or split with his sister whose also tracking calories.
    4. Make time to exercise on the weekends, especially if you know your calories are going over. I go for a walk and even have a workout DVD on my laptop so I have no excuse. I just go into my BF's bedroom while he's watching a show I don't care about and do my thing. It works!
  • jmsteve45
    jmsteve45 Posts: 6
    Thankfully most food places now have a nutrition link on their website that lists the nutritional values of all of their dishes. Find out where you're going and make the numbers work for you!!! If you're a drinker like me and you know your favorite drinks, you can find the nutritional values for those as well. I find that drinking liquors on the rocks or with a zero calorie drink like perrier helps to as it reduces the calorie intake that you might have if you were to mix it with soda. You can also plan your meals prior to eating out better as well. I only eat lean meats with veggies on days where I'm eating out and feel satisfied until I eat the big daddy meal (while staying within my numbers of course)!
  • shaynak112
    shaynak112 Posts: 751 Member
    I find it's more the opposite. I'm so busy on the weekend that I burn way more calories than I eat. (You know, going out to clubs/parties and dancing for hours.)

    Look up the menu of where you're going. Find low calorie options.
    On Sunday, I went out for dinner with my parents. I got a veggie burger there and made sure they didn't put on the mayo, sauce, etc. Yeah, it was higher calorie, but I accounted for it. Went out dancing that night and probably burned about 1000 calories there so I wasn't too worried about it.

    But changing your plans is a good idea. Going out to dinner once in a while is fun. But what about a pot luck? Make some healthy food yourself and have your friends/family bring some food as well. Even if they do bring unhealthy food (likely), just have a tiny bit of it :).
  • EllieMo
    EllieMo Posts: 131 Member
    Plan? Up your exercise or lower your food intake during the week to compensate?
  • JoannaJoyReynolds
    JoannaJoyReynolds Posts: 4
    I find it easier if I'm SO well planned that I never even look at the menu. There is just so much tempting stuff there that its easy to make the 'wrong" decision in the moment.
    :drinker:
  • icreate
    icreate Posts: 60
    Let your family your on diet. Eat smaller portion :)
  • shierrarobin
    shierrarobin Posts: 181
    I find that I can still go out with friends as long as I either bring my own food with me or I have them stop on the way to the restaurant and let me pick up something with not a lot of calories. One time, my friends wanted to go to the Chinese restaurant in my home town. I told them I'd go, but they needed to run me by subway to let me get one of the low-calorie sandwiches. So they ate their Chinese food, I had subway, and I was still able to hang out with my friends. :)
  • GuilH
    GuilH Posts: 2 Member
    I stopped drinking beer and now drink vodka on the rocks if I'm socializing. Way less calories. Try to stay away from sugared drinks.
  • stellarcanicula
    stellarcanicula Posts: 50 Member
    I try to come up with social events that don't center around food. Instead of making plans to go out for drinks, make plans to grab a cup of coffee/tea and go window shopping. A 0 calorie cup of tea and two hours of walking around stores ends up being more of a work out than sitting on the sofa, you still get to hang out with friends and family, and you haven't over indulged. Little changes in your social plans like this can really start to add up!

    YES! Don't let your friends and family dictate your choices. Take the lead and YOU plan the events at places that has healthy options. There really is no excuse for blowing your health choices on the weekend.
  • AmandaDeShawn
    AmandaDeShawn Posts: 340 Member
    split a plate with someone, ask for the dressing on the side. Make sure you workout before you go out to eat or the mall...


    I completely agree with this. I always ask for a to-go box when my meal is brought to the table and I will eat half then and take the other half home.
  • mamaofscj
    mamaofscj Posts: 24 Member
    I found I was having the same problems, so during the weekend I would consider it my "cheat" but still have my diet in the back of my mind. Have just a handful of chips rather then a full bag, a small slush rather then a medium, smaller portions of meals and remember to include healthier choices! With alcohol, only have one or two drinks rather then 4 or 5. And try to work out at least once on your weekend - think about it, you have fri night, saturday ALL day, and Sunday ALL day - fit a workout in there!

    It may not seem like much, but these little changes do make a difference. Then you can go back to your week, eat amazing, workout regularily and not feel defeated. :happy:
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Anyone have any advice on how to battle weekend weight? I'm so health conscious all week, eating healthy, working out, not drinking alcohol and then on the weekends I always have plans with friends or family that involve drinks/dinner/going out to eat! How do you control yourself and limit in social events to fight gaining excess lbs on the weekend? I've been trying to lose the same 10lbs for over a year now! I know self control is the first start but I don't go absolutely crazy on the weekends, but I do find that it is a challenge I face.

    Yes, stick to your plan on how you eat all week long.

    Just because it is Saturday or Sunday doesn't give you the entitlement or license to eat anything and everything.

    Be mindful of what you eat and how much just like you do during the week.

    I am able to go out and eat with family or friends on the weekends and I stick to protein and vegetables, with a dinner salad for starters. Mostly I get a caesar dinner salad, rare steak with butter and steamed vegetables. Skip the bread and dessert and I allow myself to have a drink or two.
  • darkhakai
    darkhakai Posts: 23
    Quite a few restaurants have (delicious) lo-cal menu options now too. And I've read that ordering off the child menu is a pretty popular way to keep those extra calories down.

    For the drinks, I have no advice. I'm planning on sticking to iced tea when I am dining out from now on and opting out of all alcohol.
  • scott2331
    scott2331 Posts: 1 Member
    I get confused by this as well. It's possible for me to add 4-5lbs in a weekend, although that's rare. I have to start with the assumption that a pound lost is a result of a 3500 calorie deficit. If I'm 4 lbs heavier Monday than I was Friday I did I really go 14,000 calories over my goal in 2 days? Of course not. I know that normal fluctuations occur and perhaps these are more likely due to whatever I'm doing on weekends. And for me it's drinking. Not alcohol, but any and everything else. Even water. I have a routine during the week, not so on weekends and my coffee and water intake may be higher. I don't track that and perhaps I should. By Tues., Weds I'm back to where i was or close. Also salt. Even if my calories were close to goal if the food was higher in salt leading to water retention I'm heavier.

    It's liquid. I think.
  • avocado12
    avocado12 Posts: 197 Member
    Weigh in on a Monday :)
  • somedaysoon84
    somedaysoon84 Posts: 82
    I find it is all about planning. If I know where I am going to eat I look up the nutritional info before hand. I figure out how many calories are in my drinks and figure out how many I can have and not go over my calories. It is a lot of planning and a lot of work but I find it is worth it.

    what she said. worst case.... bump your calories up to maintanence and preplan. that way you may not be making progress, but you aren't undoing all your week long hard work.
  • Katelyn824
    Katelyn824 Posts: 7 Member
    I like this idea!! :)
  • Katelyn824
    Katelyn824 Posts: 7 Member
    Eat before if you can
    Bring a healthy dish if it's a bbq/potluck/etc
    Look up the menu if you know where you're going
    Pre-log so you know how much you can afford to eat/drink
    Set a goal and a reward (for instance: work out sat/sun, get ice cream Monday)

    good idea! I should definitely log before I got out so I know how much I can afford !
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Easy. Eat before you go out. Hell, I even bring a protein bar with me if I stay out late.
  • MissNations
    MissNations Posts: 513 Member
    I try to come up with social events that don't center around food. Instead of making plans to go out for drinks, make plans to grab a cup of coffee/tea and go window shopping. A 0 calorie cup of tea and two hours of walking around stores ends up being more of a work out than sitting on the sofa, you still get to hang out with friends and family, and you haven't over indulged. Little changes in your social plans like this can really start to add up!

    This ^^ Better for the waistline and the wallet! win-win

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