Eating on the weekends... advice wanted.

BoxerBrawler
BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I realized that I am being too lenient with myself over the weekends. I do make an exception for date night which is either Friday or Saturday night with my husband. That's okay because I typically plan for the calories. We go somewhere nice and have pretty much whatever we want from appetizer to dessert.

However, it seems like I continue to make "exceptions" because it's the weekend after that... While it is still pretty much within reason, I end up having things that I don't normally have e.g., sweets, snack chips, etc. and tend to over indulge a little bit. Not huge calories but more than I am used too.

It has not caused any real weight gain, maybe a few ounces or so on a Monday due to the water/sodium or whatever, but I'm finding that it's kind of a three steps forward two steps back on Monday morning type of cycle.

I need to break that cycle before it becomes a habit!

So this weekend, I'll do my regular "date night" dinner, planning for higher than normal calories for that one night, etc. But then the remainder of the weekend I will treat like any other day of the week and strictly adhere to my healthy eating plan.

Does anyone else tend to ease up like this over the weekend? Any advice on staying on track throughout?

Thanks!

Replies

  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
    I eat LOADS more on a weekend lol. I used to try and be really good at weekends, but I would end up totally falling off track.

    So now, I keep my calories 100-200 per day lower during the week and allow myself a good deal more on a weekend. And I tend to stick to weighing on a Friday every couple of weeks so that I avoid seeing small fluctuations in weight due to the type of foods I eat over the weekend.

    Works for me but guess it's a personal thing. If it's not fitting with your plans then try something new :)
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Hey thanks for the reply and for your personal plan/advice.

    I was trying to totally restrict on either Friday or Saturday in anticipation of eating out or even eating in, but way more that evening. That doesn't work out because I will literally starve myself all day with the exception of small snacks just to keep my motor running. By the time dinner rolls around on whatever evening I'm planning for I'm so hungry I end up eating way too much and way too fast. So that doesn't work.

    I thought about going by my weekly calories in/out vs. daily. I am good at keeping on track day and night all week long so that might work but I'm a little confused about how much of a deficit I should have at the end of the week to allow for big calories on date night.

    I have many times gone out for date night and ordered within my plan e.g., salad, soup, protein, double veggie instead of the starch, no dessert, etc. But what fun is that!
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
    To have enough extra calories that night, you have to look at how far you are going over your calorie allotment on those nights, and then spread out that amount over the course of your week. You could also plan a monster cardio session for the next day.

    When I know I have a big meal coming, I plan out very low calorie, high protein meals for the rest of the day. Meals, not snacks. Something like eggs for breakfast, fish and vegetable for lunch, protein shake for something sweet. It helps me not be starving all day, so I can still enjoy my treat, but I'm not scarfing it down.
  • SB4Hope
    SB4Hope Posts: 23 Member
    I hate weekends because I always overeat. It seems if I know I am going out and starve all day, then I just eat more that night. I do try and get a workout in Friday night before I go out or Saturday morning, but it doesn't seem to help. I am afraid with summer coming, it will just be worse. Losing the same 3 pounds every week is getting old. Any advice besides not going out. That is not an option.
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    I usually do okay on the weekends, but this weekend I am going to visit friends. Which means eating out and alcohol.

    I put in a tough week of workouts, burned more than I usually do. One day I even NET under 1200...

    Because I know I will either be at maintenance or over this weekend.

    I try to always plan for the weekends because I will have a few drinks, I will more than likely eat out one day.

    Just try to plan it out better, only eat half of your meal at a restaurant, take the other half home.

    ALSO: It matters to me if I reach my weekly calorie goal than my daily. So if I can eat more on the weekends, you bet I will :)
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Thanks!

    All good suggestions, ideas and advice.

    I do workout over the weekends and try to plan out my meals and calories to allot for higher calories on our night out but I guess I'd rather stop doing that even. Maybe just indulge in one treat over the weekend like a dessert, or a bread basket hahaha :) but keep the rest of the weekend consistent. I guess it comes down to additional planning, smarter weekend choices and more discipline.
  • SB4Hope
    SB4Hope Posts: 23 Member
    I know I have to get stronger too. I did good today. My husband wanted to take me out tonight and I know we have dinner plans tomorrow night, so I said no for tonight. Today needs to be an under calorie, high exercise day. Hopefully it will work out ok in the end.

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