Why are weekends sooo hard?!
JanaCanada
Posts: 917 Member
Only been dieting a week and am already discouraged. I blew it over the weekend. Hubby was working, which is unusual. He makes me accountable, so since he wasn't around, I went over my caloric limit all weekend. Gah! But UI am learning something valuable about myself: I can't do this alone, and when I get lonely, I eat. And one more thing I've learned: I tend to "reward" myself on weekends for being good during the week. Comforting, I guess...until the guilt sets in. Ugh. During the week, I am soo good. Why are weekend so hard?
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Replies
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Hey, I agree, weekends are hard. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the days are much less structured. To balance it out, I always start Sat and Sun mornings with a workout. That way, I still have room if I go over on calories. If I'm really bad on the weekend, then I make myself go back and workout for a second time. Seems to work for me. Good luck and add me if you'd like.0
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Thinking anything that disrupts our 'regularly scheduled program' tends to throw us off. The dietitian I'm working with helped me a LOT but sitting down and actually writing down a brief plan for how I was going to cope with a big dinner out, so I had sort of a picture in my head of what I should do. Helped a lot. So now I do try to think, plot, plan ahead. So far have survived. Lonely I have not had to cope with....yet.
Just be sure to keep getting back on the program, eventually you WILL win!!0 -
I flubbed pretty badly myself... Oh well... The worst thing you can do is go back to those habits... Onwards and upwards!
Just pretend it didn't happen. Eventually it won't matter anyway.
Eric0 -
Most people "cheat" when they're hungry, so try completely and utterly stuffing your face with clean, healthy food until you are satisfied with the meal, then stuff your face again with clean healthy food when you feel hungry.0
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For starters, diets do that to you. Maybe start thinking of it as something other than a diet. Personally, I stopped thinking of it as a diet and things have been a LOT smoother.0
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I think weekends are more difficult because since we were children in grade school, we've been 'conditioned' to look forward to the weekends and just let loose and have fun. Weekends are for carefree play and fun.. is typically how we've learned to view them.. The key is remembering who you're getting fit for-yourself- then you can have the carefree mentality in a fit-wise way
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I hear ya! Weekends are hard for me too. Monday thru Friday is fairly consistant and easy to plan out my meals. Then the weekend comes and I may skip lunch and end up snacking instead or have a few cocktails. If I'm on the go, I'll grab fast food (which I've been trying to avoid). I just find it difficult to plan out my weekends. I've only been back on here for a few weeks, so I'm hoping that as I continue with the groove during the week, it'll become easier to stay on track on the weekends. You are not alone, my friend! Keep at it & don't give up!
ps...the pic with your dog & the pumpkin makes me laugh. I took my dogs with me to pick out pumpkins yesterday and as they were rolling around in the back of the car, my puppy freaked out and jumped into the front seat. She's afraid of EVERYTHING! Just another thing to add to that list. Enjoy your day! :happy:0 -
In our home we have takeaways on Saturdays and we go food shopping on Sundays so they're never always the best for me either!
On our shopping day I like to sample quite a few of the things we've bought...0 -
Try to pre-log your diary so you have a plan. Keep busy. I notice when I am watching tv, that's when I binge.0
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i am in total agreement with you. every weekend i mess up royally! end up starting all over on monday. its a terrible cycle. i need to get more structure to my weekends and stick with it. it is a battle for sure!!!!!!!!0
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I agree weekends are very hard but since I have joined here and been logging all my food I've actually been eating less on weekends. A lot less then before I joined so give it time and don't give up!! your doing great Rome wasn't built in a day remember 0
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This problem is farily common for a lot of people on this site, and Ive seen many posts on this. Some of the best responses I have read were centered around the idea of making healthy eating your lifestyle and not your diet.
When you truly use the calorie and macro counting precisely you can just plan around some of your less than ideal weekend choices by adjusting excercise,......although, many support the idea of a cheat day too ? Give it a few weeks and figure out what will work best for you.0 -
They're hard for me, too. It's easier to let loose.... Just stay dedicated. You'll get there. Stay accountable, find exercises you enjoy. Try not to keep junk in the house. Do fun things during the weekend -- don't rely on food to be your relaxation .0
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I had the same problem on vacation this year. I think the lack of structure has a lot to do with it.0
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I totally agree the 'little snack monster' comes and I feel like just eating something when I'm not hungry. I think it is because we are pretty occupied during the week and we have lots of free time during the weekend and that's when I get bored. Try to preoccupy your self or just eat fruit instead of bad foods.Your supposed to have 5 a day anyway. Hope this helps and stick in there!
Sian0 -
Hubby was working, which is unusual. He makes me accountable, so since he wasn't around, I went over my caloric limit all weekend. Gah! But UI am learning something valuable about myself: I can't do this alone, and when I get lonely, I eat.
Not to be negative, because I am glad you are making a decision on changing your life but:
^^ This is terribly wrong on many levels.
You can do it alone, you must do it alone, because the only person that puts food into your mouth is you.
You have to give up that old lifestyle once and for all before you will see big changes.
Anyways, good luck to you, I know you can succeed!0 -
I find it to be the first 5 days after the weekend that are the most difficult..........0
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Something that I have found helpful is to have my weigh-in day be Sunday. That way, I'm more motivated to eat well on Saturday since I know I have a weigh-in the next day. Plus, if Sunday isn't great, that's one day and not two.
Furthermore, don't think of it as a diet, try to think of it as a lifestyle change. No food is completely "banned" for me. I just choose to eat foods that nourish my body 80-90% of the time. You could also try planning one unhealthy meal or snack in your week ahead of time. I don't think a "cheat day" is such a great idea if it means eating junky food ALL day and lots of it. However, one treat *meal* a week can be helpful if that'll keep you on track the rest of the meals during the week. For example, last week I had a buffalo chicken calzone for dinner on Monday. Was it healthy? Heck no! But it was delicious and every other meal that day was healthy so I felt good about it. Do I have something that unhealthy every week? No. But I also don't tell myself anything is "off limits" because that just makes me want it more
Hope that helps!0 -
Don't beat yourself up over it too much.
Definitely agree with weekends being hard because of so much less structure... I tend to eat a little less during the week just so that weekends aren't THAT detrimental, and I try to work out first thing both Saturday and Sunday mornings. I still don't track my food diary on weekends (:frown:)--I do need to get better about this. Idle time is when I tend to binge at home, so I try to keep busy--working in the yard, doing laundry, cleaning house, walking the dog.0 -
I'm the opposite. I'm way under my range on the weekend because I'm either way to busy to get to eat or I sleep all day!!! I get up early every day of the week, I like to sleep in on the weekend but I miss meals, then I'm hungry on Monday!! Sheesh!!!!!0
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As long as you are being diligent M-F, you are still making progress. If you flub up a little on the weekend, it's not the end of the world. Just don't let yourself get in the mindset of "Well, I already blew it for the day so I might as well just go all out..."
If you know that weekends are going to be hard for you, allow yourself a little extra so that you can prove to yourself that you can still be accountable. Just make your goal a little more realistic.0 -
I agree. The weekends are difficult for me as well. In fact, I was wondering to myself last night why that is. However, this weekend wasn't as bad because I started Saturday off walking with a friend of mine. Like one gentleman said who replied to you, working out early in the day on the weekends would give you some wiggle room, it did for me and I plan to do it from here on out. However, don't lament about it too much. As long as you keep getting back on that horse and perhaps even create a plan of strategy for your weekends to adhere to, you're still in the game. Keep up the good work!0
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Hubby was working, which is unusual. He makes me accountable, so since he wasn't around, I went over my caloric limit all weekend. Gah! But UI am learning something valuable about myself: I can't do this alone, and when I get lonely, I eat.
Not to be negative, because I am glad you are making a decision on changing your life but:
^^ This is terribly wrong on many levels.
You can do it alone, you must do it alone, because the only person that puts food into your mouth is you.
You have to give up that old lifestyle once and for all before you will see big changes.
Anyways, good luck to you, I know you can succeed!
I agree.
You CAN and SHOULD try to do this by motivating yourself. Don't rely on others to do it for you.
Make sure you are getting enough calories in the day as well. If you're undereating and getting hungry, you're going to be more inclined to overindulge when you get stressed or upset.
Just dust yourself off and take it one day at a time.0 -
For me it's candy and chips (and soda), it helps if I make some healthier snacks, for example frozen grapes are nice (somewhat like a lollipop), covering bananas and strawberries with dark chocolate is good or just to get popcorn (not microwave) with just a little salt.0
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I go over every weekend, too-- I try not to let it get to me; in fact, this past weekend, I didn't even log. MFP has made me more aware of portion control & nutrition, so I do try to make healthy choices, but I know I'll get discouraged seeing how I go over every Saturday & Sunday. Just remember than an extra 300 calories or so won't totally de-rail you-- and if you tend to be under during the week, it does even out!0
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Weekends aren't hard for me, if anything they are easier because I can take the time to prepare meals. I really think a lot of the weekend thing is people making weekends different. They are just another day in the week.0
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Several things worked for me and most have already been said by other respondees.
Keep busy, if you are 'bored', 'watching TV', 'doing nothing' etc you are going to reach for the snacks........
Think - 'Lifestyle Change' - and not 'Diet'. It really does work......
Plan ahead, input what you are going to have and not what you have already eaten........
Eating out?? check the menus online before you go so you can try to eat a little healthier without spoiling the occasion.
Remember though, as long as you keep your calories controlled most of the time, it will not hurt you to have the occasional spike day! good luck, Linda 0 -
Structure. That is, your workday is structured. Your mind has something to do. You are distracted by responsibilities. When time is your own, it's easier to lose focus.
Other distractions include meeting with friends and family (other than your everyday immediate family) who are not following some sort of plan.
At least, that's the way it is for me. I try to get my weekend workout done early each day so I know that won't get bumped. Then it's just a matter of keeping honest with yourself. I realized recently dieting is like golf... golf is the only sport I know of where you can call a foul on yourself.0 -
Normally weekends aren't hard for me, but this past weekend was really hard. Hang in there, you can do it! Next weekend, make a plan for what you want to eat. Then if you want to have a high calorie dinner, plan your meals earlier in the day around that!0
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I tend to over eat on the weekend myself... It's good to know I'm not the only one and you shouldn't feel bad at all. Sometimes I'm ashame to log what I have eaten because I do go over but in the end I'm not the only who does, so I don't feel so bad. I do try to work out early so that if I go over, I've already burned the calories I'm taking in. Hang in there!!!0
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