Blowing it on the Weekends
derekjnichols
Posts: 49 Member
Just coming off of a busy weekend, I had some observations on my MFP habits.
My weeks are so structured it's actually kind of easy for get into my health and fitness routine. Where I normally blow it is with my free time on the weekends. I feel like my time is so fluid that I'm trying to do everything I can and I eat whenever/whatever is possible.
Coming from Buffalo doesn't help either- in the summer we try to cram all of our festivals in from June-September, so every weekend has an opportunity to eat something pretty unhealthy. At least there is a certain amount of physical activity at these events. The winter usually involves a lot of baking and not moving!
Do any of you have suggestions on how to stay on track during weekends? How do you stay motivated?
Usually I try to relate my posts to the LGBTQ community, but I think straight people probably have to deal with the same issues. The only thing I hesitate to say is that in my experience, gays may make a bigger event out of things ( equaling more alcohol and food). Can anyone else tie in our community to this topic?
My weeks are so structured it's actually kind of easy for get into my health and fitness routine. Where I normally blow it is with my free time on the weekends. I feel like my time is so fluid that I'm trying to do everything I can and I eat whenever/whatever is possible.
Coming from Buffalo doesn't help either- in the summer we try to cram all of our festivals in from June-September, so every weekend has an opportunity to eat something pretty unhealthy. At least there is a certain amount of physical activity at these events. The winter usually involves a lot of baking and not moving!
Do any of you have suggestions on how to stay on track during weekends? How do you stay motivated?
Usually I try to relate my posts to the LGBTQ community, but I think straight people probably have to deal with the same issues. The only thing I hesitate to say is that in my experience, gays may make a bigger event out of things ( equaling more alcohol and food). Can anyone else tie in our community to this topic?
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I have the same problem. It seems like alcohol and food end up being such a social thing in and of itself. My week days are very structured and I don't deviate from them, weekends are not as structured and that's when I always have problems.
Of course it doesn't help to have a partner suggesting fried chicken and burgers either, which may be over now, he starts eating healthy today.
This past weekend was "Taste of Dallas," and I wanted to go, but did not, because I knew what would happen.0 -
Wait. Is this topic about food? I had something else in mind!0
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My husband and I often have brunch with a friend who likes to cook. Two ideas have helped me:
(1) Even if my friend decides what to cook, I decide what to put into my mouth.
(2) Just because my friend puts it on the plate, doesn't mean I have to eat all of it.
I haven't been to a lot of food festivals in the months I've been tracking and losing. But the key is the same, I think: portion control.
But then I'm one of the people who believe the main thing is how much you eat, not one of the opposing camp who think the main thing is what you eat!0 -
Wait. Is this topic about food? I had something else in mind!
lol... yeah, first thing that popped in my head.
I am a weak man.0 -
I think this happens to many people.
I always count on a "cheat day" once a week and can still lose 2-3 lbs a week doing it, with my current routine, and it helps me with my lifts for the next week. I usually spread this out over Saturday night into Sunday. I don't lose my mind or anything, and I make sure I eat slow and taste the food; and it seems I never eat an entire plate of anything.
And I don't drink anymore, so I am sure this helps. (The late 90s-early 2000s killed me).0 -
I have the exact same problem.
I'm 19 years old, and with friends of a similar age, it means most social gatherings involve a lot of food and getting really, really drunk.0 -
My husband and I often have brunch with a friend who likes to cook. Two ideas have helped me:
(1) Even if my friend decides what to cook, I decide what to put into my mouth.
(2) Just because my friend puts it on the plate, doesn't mean I have to eat all of it.
I haven't been to a lot of food festivals in the months I've been tracking and losing. But the key is the same, I think: portion control.
But then I'm one of the people who believe the main thing is how much you eat, not one of the opposing camp who think the main thing is what you eat!
This for me. I expect to eat more on the weekends due to social gatherings. I make a point to have tougher workouts on the weekends so I burn a little more and follow the ideas of portion control.
I enjoy whatever food, and still pay attention to if I'm really hungry enough to eat something.0 -
I don't have a cheat day, calling it a cheat day implies I am doing something wrong. My routine is to eat 5 regular healthy meals a day, 6 days a week, and then have a day off, but be sensible about it.
Before I used to demolish a 100g bar of Green & Blacks Organic chocolate and then go looking for something else to snack on, now I have half a bar, and save the other half for the next week. Twiglests is another one (not sure if you get them over there in the US?)
I could get through a 200g drum in 30 minutes, now I have 2 50g portions as my morning and afternoon snack. I get to eat the things I like, I never feel as if I am going without. My calorie limit is around 2100 per day give or take 100, but my day off is mine, and can easily reach 3500.
I also don't have alcohol, that just gets messy. I have a never ending supply of water with ice and fresh slices of lemon and lime.0 -
I find that I enjoy candy and cakes and such just as much if I savor a small piece as devour a huge piece.0
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I would love to know what a Twiglest is......0
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I avoid the problem by not having a social life. Both me and my partner work crazy hours, and he often works on the weekends. Generally weekends for me are about cooking for the next week. My partner doesn't drink (I know!) and since I have to count the calories in what I drink now if I do drink it's minimal. But even so - if we do find ourselves at some big event, it's not that hard for me to avoid bad food, since I have so many things on my list now that I won't eat.0
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I would love to know what a Twiglest is......
If you know what Marmite or Vegemite is, the you'll roughly know what they taste like.
)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/graybags60/3035572519/0 -
I would love to know what a Twiglest is......
If you know what Marmite or Vegemite is, the you'll roughly know what they taste like.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/graybags60/3035572519/
I have never had either of those things but based on that link and soem wikipedia I believe I would like it. Salty, savory, and crisp? Yes please.0 -
I would love to know what a Twiglest is......
If you know what Marmite or Vegemite is, the you'll roughly know what they taste like.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/graybags60/3035572519/
I have never had either of those things but based on that link and soem wikipedia I believe I would like it. Salty, savory, and crisp? Yes please.
Like a pretzel?0 -
Yeast-flavored pretzel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXikTvA5p9c&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Alan Carr could have gotten good money on ebay for whatever Justin spit out!0 -
Interestingly I have a harder time during the week than on the weekends. Our office always has a bunch of junk and some kind of party going on. It's taken a long time, but they finally have learned not to even ask me.
On the weekends I get to decide where I go and what I do so it's much easier for me. Except on special occasions I stay away from temptations.0 -
I have this problem, but much less now due to working 7 days a week at 4 jobs. (2 offices, a bar, and cat sitting with a kennel)
I work in a bar, so alcohol can be a problem any day of the week, if I'm working around it. I am really trying hard, though, and planning ahead helps so much.
For example on Fridays when I work at one of my 2 office jobs, everyone always goes out to eat at the pub, so knowing this, I pack lunch/dinner, and don't bring any cash, or cards, so I couldn't go, even if I wanted to.0 -
Well I thought of blowing it on the weekend and look at the protien content. simply it is about an o1/2 ounce to an ounce of protien. Not know of any one that produces more than an ounce. But in a monogomous relationship I guess it is up to one gets into on the weekend. AS for social on the weekends an all you can eat buffet is one plate and avoid the carbs. Soda with lime fakes as a mixed drink. and ginger ale diet sorta fakes it as a beer.0
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On the weekends, I make a more concerted effort to go to the gym both days in order to make up for bad behavior. And at the risk of sounding like an alcoholic, it helps me to think of the calories in terms of drinks that I can or can't have. For example, only eat half of the dish - hey that's another drink! Get the healthy omelet at brunch - two more drinks! Dessert? Not gonna be able to have any wine :-(. I may still go slightly over, but not nearly as much as if I threw all caution to the wind.0
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Don't worry, shock2920, no alcoholic I've ever spoken with refused a drink because it had too many calories!0
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struggling here... was trying not to eat back all my exercise calories but I keep blowing it and then some.. late night snacker.. hitting me hard.... HELP last night was a rice cake with pbj ,, little spearmint leaves... JELLLO isn't helping like it used to...rraaa0
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Make sure you get some decent quality protein and healthy fats in with your evening meal. That will help with the munchies.
A Honied Broiled Salmon Fillet, or maybe Some Greek Yoghurt with Berries and Honey for dessert?0 -
The weekends are toug and so have the Olympics, watching more than doing sport. I try to do a burst of exercise weekend mornings to help balance the rest of the day and tell myself I earnt it.
P.S. Twigglets rock0 -
My best friend and I are such bad influences on each other. I've been a bit more successful than him but for some reason we can't help but get Coldstone... or hit up a local cupcake shop... After we get a gigantic burrito. It's got to stop!!!0
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totally get it!!!! I have the same problem and to fight it, I have posted this quote around the house to remind me NOT to grab something to eat, just because.
The quote is from Jon Gordon, motivational speaker/author and a great guy;
"DISCIPLINE AND GREAT HABITS TURN WHAT YOU WANT INTO WHAT YOU BECOME............"
Love it!!!
Good luck0 -
What I do is I set cheat day every now and then. It helps keep on track and calm my cravings so I don't cheat.0
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I had implemented a "free" day every sunday on the weekends, b/c i'm so strict on myself during the week. That was my motivation for every day i was on plan. Man i want an effin cupcake! I will have one on sunday lol.. however i was getting more lax on my weekends and it would end up starting friday.. ending sunday night.. so i think that really killed my losses since i was losing what i gained over the weekend every week.
this weekend was the FIRST weekened that i stayed on plan the entire weekend and was able to successfully log a loss. i think you need something to motivate you to want to do it.. then u do it.. my motivation is my cruise coming up in less than a month.. i decided to go a whole month with no free days.. you can do it.. or just allow for a day to put logging calories and dieting to the side for a break...0 -
Even when I know I'm eating more than I should for the day, I always keep track of exactly how much I'm getting. That way I can adjust the following day or two to even it out. One day recently I went over my goal by about 800 calories, but averaging out over a few days I was right on target.
Or if I know ahead of time that something "big" is coming up (maybe we're having a party at work, or there's a special event coming up at an Italian restaurant), I can adjust a day or two ahead so I don't even need to feel guilty during the event itself because I've already compensated for the cake, ice cream, or lasagna that I'm enjoying now.0 -
I weigh in on a Friday so that whatever happens on the weekend I have some time to try and rectify it - weighing in on a Monday would not be a good idea LOL
I'm trying to go dry for a while - I drink socially a lot. A crazy amount. And I gfigure while I am revved and psyched it would be good to cut out the empty calories. Not forever, ohhhhh no, just for a while. I went for a chinese meal on Saturday and ate myself stupid - I think because I didn't feel bad about it and enjoyed it it meant that Sunday was ok, no guilt and back on it.
Of course I am in the first flush of 'isn't being healthy BRILLIANT!' - ask me the same question when I have been doing this for 6 months+
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I kind of have it the other way round. I'm as good as gold at home but struggle in the week in an office full of McDonalds and cake eaters. I'm a trainer so there's always a stash of biscuits talking to me too :-/0
