Sabotaging on the weekend

staceycannondykes
staceycannondykes Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone! I'm am super new although I did start this journey over many times. I am doing really good through the week but the weekend comes and it's a free for all. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can get control over my weekends?
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Replies

  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited March 2017
    I eat lower on the weekdays because Sundays. I usually have about 2500 on Sunday and I still lose about 1lb/week (I see the water Monday but overall I'm down that every week over time) So depending on your rate of loss (you'll need a solid month of data to truly see what your weekly average is providing you track the weekend mishaps) and you'll know what you can afford to have on the dreaded weekends! I'm the same way btw, you're in good company lol
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    I typically have one day on the weekend where I eat at maintenance. It's a life saver!
  • JudyHopps2
    JudyHopps2 Posts: 12 Member
    Track everything you eat. The benefit with tracking Everything is that you begin to see where you can make changes. It puts You in control of You, not your "free for all" mindset.
    Try to be in charge of what you eat - don't let it rule you.
    Today is my daughter's 32nd birthday. I've baked a birthday cake which of course I will share a piece of. We're going out to breakfast at IHOP where I will have to have a piece of that Sticky Bun waffle. Chances are she and I will stop for a small meal or snack when we're out birthday shopping later. I will have fun and enjoy small portions of party foods. I will still try to stay within or close to my 1370 daily calorie goal. I will still try to get in something besides carbs and fat. Check my diary later if you want. (Also - I may blow it - but I will attempt to make it all work.).
  • BootCampC
    BootCampC Posts: 689 Member
    I am the same way over the weekend , I try to spend more time at he gym Saturday to make up for it , but that doesn't work out too well . I will break even most of the time , other times 1-2 lbs gained over the weekend which really isn't worth the drinking/snacking
  • GoldBikiniGoals
    GoldBikiniGoals Posts: 47 Member
    edited March 2017
    You need to figure out why the weekends throw you off. Do you work a really routine job during the week that keeps you away from food other than your lunch time? Is it the people you see on weekends or the activities that you tend to do? And then figure out how to control for that variable.

    Like others said, you can bank calories. Some people find pre-logging their weekend helpful. You have to find what works for you.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    You probably have some habits that you've developed over the years related to what kinds of things you do on weekends. There are things like going out to eat, or Saturday morning pancakes, or watching TV while snacking, for example. Change the routine and you have more of an opportunity to change your eating habits along with it. Maybe instead of going out to eat you go for a picnic in the park. Replace the Saturday morning pancakes with a Saturday morning run. Instead of watching football on TV, get some friends together and play flag football. Whatever it is that you are doing now, change it up.
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,449 Member
    There are a lot of fun weekend activities. Go hiking or biking or dancing. Go bowling with friends instead of to the bar. Take a yoga class with your friends. Or do yard work. Or fix something around the house. Move extra and focus social on movement related fun instead of food related fun.
  • BABetter1
    BABetter1 Posts: 618 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    Two things:

    1. I'm Orthodox Jewish and Sabbath-observant to the point where I do not write or type anything from sundown on Friday night to darkness on Saturday night. Friday afternoon, I pre-log what I plan to eat, making allowances for some moderate treats. (I allow myself 4 oz of challah bread at dinner and the same for Saturday lunch, for example. It's the one day of the week when I have potato kugel.) I'm not sure if this speaks to you, but on my previous weight-loss attempts, I'd try to fill out the journal after Sabbath and I'd get stressed and depressed remembering what I ate. And often, I'd stop logging because if I didn't record it, it didn't happen. Doing it ahead of time keeps me on track, because it also shows me, "Hey. You can have those those two pieces of kugel and still be in deficit. Relax." And once I recognize that part, I'm absent the guilt and negativity that used to have me stuffing my face because 'the day was blown anyway'. Pre-logging tells me it's not. (Note that pre-logging works best if I'm realistic with myself about wanting a couple of treats and seeing if there's a way to get them.)

    2. My weekly weigh-in is first thing Sunday morning.

    Yes, this. I also pre-log, and it really works well for me. Hubby often takes me to lunch a couple of days on the weekends. I know which restaurants we usually go to, and I can pre-plan those lunch meal calories and tighten up the breakfast and lunch calories around it. Then just stick to what I logged.
  • KelGen02
    KelGen02 Posts: 668 Member
    edited March 2017
    I eat the same on the weekends as I do any other day. If I know I am going out to dinner with friends or to a party I make sure that I plan for it, I will check out menu's before going, I will decide up on a meal and log it before I even leave the house. If I am going to have a couple of adult beverages, I make sure that I get on the treadmill in the morning, go to a Zumba class or both to make sure that I have earned a few more calories so I stay in range. Husband and I went to Olive Garden for dinner Saturday night. We had an appetizer, dinner and desert and I stayed within my calories. Its about controlling your portion size and being aware of the calorie content.
    Someone once said to me... the only thing standing in your way is YOU. Good luck!
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,052 Member
    I used to do this, OP. In my case, I was over-restricting during the week which set me up for a weekend binge. Then felt bad and over-restricted the next week. Rinse. Repeat.

    Banking calories for the weekend helps tons, but I have to keep it reasonable (100-200 calories saved per day, no more) or I set myself up to fail. Getting the calorie goal right--not too aggressive-- is key to sustainability.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    Easy- keep tracking on the weekends! Also I quit alcohol so I could be serious about my weight loss goals... it's more likely that you'll go overboard on food if drinks are involved, plus alcohol inhibits fat burning and causes excess fat storage when combined with excess calories consumed.

    If you're trying to make progress you have to keep compliant on the weekends- maybe have 1 cheat meal just for sanity, but not whole cheat days. Once you are happy with your weight & physique you can be more relaxed on weekends since you will not be trying to make progress, just maintain- so your efforts during the week will buy you room to indulge on the weekend.

    But you'll never get where you're going if you just undo your hard work every weekend.
  • lthames0810
    lthames0810 Posts: 722 Member
    You are not powerless on the weekends. You are fully capable of making the choice of whether to have a "free for all" or not.

    Log your weekend eating and drinking and see how much damage you are really doing to your plans. You can then make an informed decision about what changes you need to make.

    I have been able, lately, to talk myself out of choices I might regret. I think of how pleased I am to see my daily goals met and how disappointed I am when I don't meet them knowing it was my own choices that were to blame.

    I don't know where I read this but it runs through my mind from time to time: "If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got."
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    Try to figure out WHY it's a free for all on weekends. Work on the WHY of weekend failure and deal with it. It's not going to help if you cut an additional 500 kcal each M-F day if you're going eat everything in sight on weekends.
  • staceycannondykes
    staceycannondykes Posts: 9 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    Two things:

    1. I'm Orthodox Jewish and Sabbath-observant to the point where I do not write or type anything from sundown on Friday night to darkness on Saturday night. Friday afternoon, I pre-log what I plan to eat, making allowances for some moderate treats. (I allow myself 4 oz of challah bread at dinner and the same for Saturday lunch, for example. It's the one day of the week when I have potato kugel.) I'm not sure if this speaks to you, but on my previous weight-loss attempts, I'd try to fill out the journal after Sabbath and I'd get stressed and depressed remembering what I ate. And often, I'd stop logging because if I didn't record it, it didn't happen. Doing it ahead of time keeps me on track, because it also shows me, "Hey. You can have those those two pieces of kugel and still be in deficit. Relax." And once I recognize that part, I'm absent the guilt and negativity that used to have me stuffing my face because 'the day was blown anyway'. Pre-logging tells me it's not. (Note that pre-logging works best if I'm realistic with myself about wanting a couple of treats and seeing if there's a way to get them.)

    2. My weekly weigh-in is first thing Sunday morning.

    My friend is Orthodox and Sabbath-observant. I understand what your saying by pre-planning. :)
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    Go hiking on the weekend. You don't have to work so you have time for a trail. It'll keep you away from the kitchen. You'll burn a bunch of calories, which will make your entire weekend easier. You'll enjoy some fresh air, time with nature, and great scenery, plus aerobic exercise, and maybe time with a good friend.
  • staceycannondykes
    staceycannondykes Posts: 9 Member
    courtneyfabulous wrote: »
    Easy- keep tracking on the weekends! Also I quit alcohol so I could be serious about my weight loss goals... it's more likely that you'll go overboard on food if drinks are involved, plus alcohol inhibits fat burning and causes excess fat storage when combined with excess calories consumed.

    If you're trying to make progress you have to keep compliant on the weekends- maybe have 1 cheat meal just for sanity, but not whole cheat days. Once you are happy with your weight & physique you can be more relaxed on weekends since you will not be trying to make progress, just maintain- so your efforts during the week will buy you room to indulge on the weekend.

    But you'll never get where you're going if you just undo your hard work every weekend.

    I don't drink, much. I might have one glass of something once a month so that is not a challenge but I like the idea of a cheat meal instead of a cheat day.
  • staceycannondykes
    staceycannondykes Posts: 9 Member
    You all have given me a lot to think about and a lot of way I can start to shift this week for this up coming weekend. I love the idea of using exercise calories. I am not currently working out but it's been on my mind a lot. So maybe this is the time to start so that I have some extra left over. I will sit with why the weekends get so out of control.

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