Weekends are my downfall. How do you survive?

chrissjourney · September 2016

I do good all week only to sabotage myself on the weekends. Any tips for avoiding the adult beverage temptation?

the3dwizard · September 2016

I don't drink much, no other reason than I just never acquired the taste for it so can't help you there.

If you are logging your food daily you might try logging the whole weekend on Friday. Plan your meals, snacks and adult beverages and if you have it all planned out it might be easier to stay on track. You could even try eating a 100 calories less each day Mon -Friday then going up just a little on the weekend.

Just some thoughts, Cheers!

PaytraB · September 2016

As the3dwizard said, you can "save" 100 calories a day for the weekend. As well, you can workout a few times over the week and not eat those calories, "saving" them for the weekend, too.
Prelogging is great. You can change the entries if you don't stick with them but having things pre-logged shows you what to expect.

Weekends have always been the hardest time for me, too. The unstructured time leads to snacking and munching. Just stay aware of it and you'll find ways of making things fit.

chrissjourney · September 2016

Great advice, thanks!

ClareMillsRoberts · September 2016

I tend to allow myself 2 days per week when I eat more at maintenance levels. I don't go on massive binges or anything but I may eat a meal out and have a glass of wine or two. Spirits with diet soda are a good low cal option and you can always bank calories from the week and use them at the weekend. I don't always eat my exercise calories back for instance. As long as you are still in a deficit for the week you should be ok.

cwolfman13 · September 2016

I indulge a bit on weekends...honestly, it's never been an issue.

alyssa0061 · September 2016

I just eat once a day on the weekends. That way I can have all my calories in one sitting

juliebowman4 · September 2016

Gin and soda water? That can't have many calories...?
Save calories during the week so you can indulge.
Earn more calories through exercise
Or.....just don't drink

RoxieDawn · September 2016

I am relaxed on calories on the weekends. I already know Monday that I am eating well on Sat and Sun.. Not a problem for me.. I do not bank calories or anything.. I need all of those each day..

I either forgo the deficit and eat maintenance per se, or I just keep the food calories and adult beverages with the calorie allotment. I also no longer drink beer, I stick to spirits.

_piaffe · September 2016

Make it my biggest workout days of the week. And plan the day around whatever's happening F or S evening.

nowine4me · September 2016

I run first thing in the morning to bank 500 calories a day on the weekends. I try to stick with Mich Ultra or processo as both have about 90 calories per drink.

emdeesea · September 2016

I used to intentionally bank calories every day Sunday through Friday, so I could go out on Saturday. Like I would intentionally eat 200-300 under so I could splurge for one meal on Saturday. The numbers always worked out and I lost.

However, at this point I can't do that because my target is so small that even going out once will completely blow any deficit I had all week. And I really can't survive on eating 800 calories a day Sunday through Friday. So now I only go out like once a month and I figure that I won't have any loss for that week.

At some point I had to decide which was more important to me. Did I want to lose the last few pounds, or do I want to go out and drink beer and then have a hangover tomorrow while the pounds stay the same?

1stplace4health · September 2016

Track! Track! Track your food! Even the good, the bad, and the ugly. It will deter you from overeating/overindulging. Best wishes

Shana67 · September 2016

I have a 4z mixed drink every single night, including weekends and have lost 40 lbs since january. Giving up alcohol is so very unnecessary

chrissjourney · September 2016

Thanks for all the helpful tips. I know the best answer would be just don't drink but so hard when you're hanging out with fam and friends. I'm going to try and be strong.

CattOfTheGarage · September 2016

Another one who saves calories. I'm aiming for 1500 net average but my mfp goal is set to 1200 net. So 3-4 days a week I stick to that and then I can eat a bit more the other days - I just check the weekly average on the app. It really works for me, much better than trying to stick to the same goal every day.

ETA if it helps, you can actually set different goals on different days - just change your calorie goal in the morning and change it back the following morning - when it's plotting your weekly calories it will remember what the goal was for each day and display it in the graph.

arditarose · September 2016

I shave off 100 calories per day during the week, sometimes more, so I can have high days on the weekend and average across the week where I want to be weight loss/maintenance wise.

Gisel2015 · September 2016

I am not a drinker (no spirits, hard liquor or beer) but I do like to indulge in a glass of wine once in awhile while I can go weeks without drinking at all because my stomach can't handle alcohol very well anymore. I save exercise calories during the week if I know that I will be eating out or at friends house on the weekend. I am in maintenance so even if I go over it doesn't affect me much or at all but I used the same approach when I was in losing mode and I had no problems what so ever.

On the other hand, I don't respond well to peer, family or friends pressure; I am too old for that. When I say no thank you, it is NO THANK YOU.

tomteboda · September 2016

I go hiking every weekend. This earns me a LOT of bonus calories. Then, I avoid social situations where I'll feel pressured to drink or eat things I don't want or can't have.

Try suggesting fun activities that don't necessarily center around alcohol (even if it's present) to your friends.

Machka9 · September 2016

1) I exercise a lot on weekends ... that's what my weekends are for! Cycling, mainly, but also things like hiking, canoeing, swimming, going to the gym, etc.

2) I rarely drink alcohol. I think the last time I had a drink was Christmas.

Maybe it helps that I'm married to a person who also likes to be active. We met while cycling and we still do a lot of cycling. An enjoyable weekend for us is a long bicycle ride with a stop at a bakery part way through.

chrissjourney · September 2016

Thanks for all the tips....good stuff!

PinkPixiexox · September 2016

'Bank' some calories from during the week for indulgences at the weekend!

If you are under each day by approx. 100 (Maybe more, maybe less) - add all the days up that you are under and use that to go toward your alcohol at the weekend! This worked really well for me. Weekends, for me - are the times I eat-out or see friends for food and drink so this was a great way of being able to do this yet still maintaining my weekly deficit.

sgt1372 · September 2016

Treat weekends like any other day.

upoffthemat · September 2016

I usually get sick if I have more than 2 drinks any more. It has helped immensely with any thoughts of alcohol consumption. I just don't feel as good the next day and that has actually become important to me.

SuzySunshine99 · September 2016

I don't know what you prefer to drink, but if you like Guinness, it's about 200 calories a pint. For me, it takes a long time to drink and fills me up, so I don't end up drinking more than one.

BrokeBirkin · September 2016

I'm not a social person so this is just a theory. I hear people talk all the time about going out with friends and family and not wanting to be "that one" in the group who orders a salad for dinner or water at the bar. If I had this problem I would try to make friends who are also trying to be healthy and have at least 1 in the group. I feel like if there are at least a couple people in the group doing it it takes the social pressure off. When I was vegetarian I went to like a picnic event at college and there was homemade food that looked great but I couldn't tell what was in it. I was so scared to be the girl asking what everything is and then someone went "ok, which ones are meat free for all the vegetarians?". I wasn't singled out I was still part of a group and I no longer feared it.

the3dwizard · September 2016

BrokeBirkin wrote: »

... When I was vegetarian I went to like a picnic event at college and there was homemade food that looked great but I couldn't tell what was in it. I was so scared to be the girl asking what everything is and then someone went "ok, which ones are meat free for all the vegetarians?". I wasn't singled out I was still part of a group and I no longer feared it.

"What do you mean he don't eat no meat? Oh, that's okay. I make lamb." Sorry, I saw this and the aunt from My Big Fat Greek Wedding just popped into my head.

I go out to dinner with customers and I was afraid of sticking out too. However it seems that everyone's tastes are so varied that it isn't so bad. Hopefully when you are out with your friends and family just saying I am trying to watch what I eat or drink will be enough and they won't hassle you. I figure just keep it low key.

chrissjourney · September 2016

Just to clarify I am totally my own worst enemy. I do not cave to peer pressure of others but myself haha. Unfortunately beer is my drink of choice. I'm gonna work on it for sure. Thanks all for the many suggestions!

azulvioleta6 · September 2016

I dance my *kitten* off (five hours of salsa!) and don't sit down at the bar at all.

Dead_Darling · September 2016

I exercise a lot over the weekend, compared to during the week - swimming, hiking and HIIT are my main ones at the moment. It gives me a bit of freedom to eat more than during the week. I try to keep it as healthy as possible, though, and try not to go crazy on pizzas or other types of junk food.
Weekends are my downfall too, and I'm only learning how to make sure it isn't. Don't worry about it!

Also, gin and tonic are low calorie

Same goes for vodka and fruit juice - but watch out for the sugar intake!

wishfuljune · September 2016

How many drinks do you have on the weekends?

My boyfriend and I are the obnoxious craft beer lovers that roam the stores looking for brands we haven't tried yet, and I'll occasionally have gin, bourbon, or wine.

1) I either limit myself to one or two beers if I worked out that day, and I'll usually split the beers with my boyfriend so then I end up only having 1/2 beer or 1 full beer.
2) If there are going to be snacks, I'll either eat a big healthy meal before, or bring my own snacks and share with friends if they are interested.
3) Like many, I pre-log to the best of my ability and see where/if there's wiggle room.
4) I plan my "cheat day" (just a day where I adjust my carbs to be higher than my normal days) on that day, but still stay within my calories for the day.
5) Save up calories during the week to splurge on the weekend (but if your goal is weight loss, try not to eat back more than 75% of your saved up exercise calories because many machines and MFP are not super accurate).

Weekends are my downfall. How do you survive?

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