Falling off the wagon on weekends?

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Replies

  • cycleholic
    cycleholic Posts: 98 Member
    Thanks for the motivation!

    Weekends are the bane of my existence. :sad: I'm going to try some of your suggestions
  • mrsjennifermaffei
    mrsjennifermaffei Posts: 469
    Yes and I need to stop that as of TODAY!

    No reason we can't be good all weekend but still get the snacks and stuff we like. We need to figure this out!
  • ImLizzard
    ImLizzard Posts: 1 Member
    I actually do better on the weekend with eating. I let myself off the hook on the walking. I have a office job so I really need the walks during the week but am more active on the weekends with normal stuff.
  • tweetybaby69
    tweetybaby69 Posts: 258 Member
    Definitely. During the week, I am more conscious of what I am eating and do not have the refridgerator lurking around the corner. Whatever pack in my cooler, that is what I am eating and when its gone I am done eating. I weigh in on Saturday mornings, so my Fridays are not too bad. Saturday is usually my "cheat " day the fridge is nearby and water does not look as appealing. But I log everything good or bad and work hard to get back on track come Sunday evening into Monday morning. :embarassed:
  • maggie4097
    maggie4097 Posts: 156
    bump
  • Crucker73
    Crucker73 Posts: 53 Member
    I like the idea of weighing in on Friday. This can also be reason for you to not over do it if you see that you have lost pounds/inches. I think you do need to allow yourself some wiggle room to prevent a total meltdown when the put that plate of chicken and cheese nachos loaded with sour cream in front of you. Everything in moderation. And if you slip up really bad, just make sure you ramp up the exercise. If I know we are going out to eat and I may fall off the wagon - I will make sure I go to the gym that day or directly after.
  • phoenix8633
    phoenix8633 Posts: 137 Member
    I suffer from this as well, I can do really well all week and then as soon as the weekend hits I can just scoff, i know it's down to boredom because a few weeks ago when we had that lovely week in March I was out all day saturday raking my lawn etc and didn't stop until about 3pm.
    But I can't rake my grass every weekend can I? i do need to find something to do on a weekend which will take my mind off wanting to pig out and feeling guilty after i've done it!
  • merilewa
    merilewa Posts: 19 Member
    You know what...it is Monday and yes I find myself in the same boat every Monday. Basically feel like I am starting fresh again. I struggle so much with the weekends. Funny thing happened today, but not really. Yesterday I was so thirsty for coca cola...so I drank it. My husband was surpised to see me drinking it. So today he offered me some and I replied "no thank you, it is Monday. I do not drink pop on Mondays. I am usually good on Mondays". He agreed with me that I usually do good all week long, but I do eat more on weekends. I might struggle because there is a break in the normal routine. I am not sure.
  • merilewa
    merilewa Posts: 19 Member
    I am new to myfitnesspal, but enjoying reading all of the posts.
  • OnMyWeigh464
    OnMyWeigh464 Posts: 447 Member
    I use to struggle on the weekends but now I don't. I see it as just any normal day for me. We do have lots of things going on during the weekends and I do my best. We have people over for potluck dinner lots and I make a healthy slow-cooker pulled pork and I provide a veggie tray. When we go to other people's houses for potluck, again I bring something healthy. I'm at the mercy of other people and what they bring so if there IS junk food and more often than not it's 90% junk (I bring the other 10% LOL) then I'll have a small piece of something or a small handful of chips or whatever. I weigh in at TOPS on Mondays so I tend to not "cheat" on the weekends the way I use to. And actually it's been 3 months since I restarted this journey and my tummy actually gets upset now when I eat junk.
  • BeautifulSurprise2
    BeautifulSurprise2 Posts: 10
    I don't have trouble with the eating on the weekends, but the last few weekends have been special events (birthdays, weddings, celebrations) so I have been drinking alot which I know are "empty" calories. I try to increase my water intake during the week and workout more.
  • kimmyj74
    kimmyj74 Posts: 223 Member
    me too, so bumping to read later
  • twilightobession
    twilightobession Posts: 101 Member
    Found this qoute on another site....."Plan activity this weekend. Remember what is said about weekends...for every Friday, Saturday & Sunday that you take off from working out & eating healthy, that's about HALF of the MONTH!!! The weekends count more than ever to get bikini ready!! It can mean up to a 4.3 pound weight loss (or gain) in a month. We challenge you to workout both Saturday & Sunday this weekend.".......I so need to remember this!!!!! I have GOT to get in the mind set that I do not need to take the weekends OFF of exercising or of eating right. I need to print this out and post it where I will see it all the time.
  • Daytonsmommy
    Daytonsmommy Posts: 162 Member
    Just don't get the "all-or- nothing" mentality to where if you have a couple Oreos, you consume an entire package since you "already screwed up"! :)

    That is totally me. I always plan on having one innocent cheat day...and not even a cheat day really, just a day I don't count every calorie I eat and then it ends up snow balling. I am going to try and see how using my left over calories during the week (not usually many, but every little bit extra helps) on the weekends works out.

    Otherwise, I am going to have to nix the cheat days altoghether.
  • jenellred
    jenellred Posts: 3
    I was doing the same thing for months which is why I am no longer at my goal weight and have to re-lose some weight. It's hard but you just have to do it.


    It is HARD to do. Especially with the lifestyle my family and i live. We are in ministry so we GO ALMOST ALL of the time on weekends! I gained 10 lbs back and i am down 4 so far, BUT i have a new goal set for the next two months and I MUST reach it! My HL coach advised me to keep snacks in my bag to help me stay full during the time we are on the road. I usually always skip breakfast and only eat once a day on Saturday when we are rolling like that. Or when not so busy on a Saturday I snack all day long on unhealthy things....smh. If that isn't bad enough I LOVE TO COOK/BAKE!!!! It would be awesome if someone could share some great baking ideas with me so i won't be so tempted to indulge in what i cook for the fam!
  • picassoadagio
    picassoadagio Posts: 407 Member
    Happens to me every weekend. I have to tell myself, if I don't want to start over, then I can't fall off. It works to a certain extent until we go to the in-laws, who are Italian and tell me, "You need to eat! You're to skinny! Eat. Eat!!"
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
    I have Saturdays off as my treat/spike day anyways but im starting to drag it through to Sundays as well now which isnt good cause i don't want to be piggin out the whole weekend, one day is alright but untill im at my GW i shouldnt be having 2 treat days.
    Its so hard at times though espesh if im not working on the sunday cause i find myself bored at home catching up on the TV i've missed all week and i always want nice food like choc and crisps to accompany that. Im working this Sunday for the first time in ages though so hopefully i'l get out of these Sunday cheat habbits lol.
  • Louise5152
    Louise5152 Posts: 22
    Saturday is treat day in my house and I never feel guilty about it as long as I've been good all week, it's just nice to have one day a week where you're not worrying about calories and if you're in control the rest of the time I think a day off can be a good thing :)
  • NicholeNorris
    NicholeNorris Posts: 3 Member
    I dont look at it as "falling off" or "starting over" I personally give myself 2 free days, mine are friday and saturday since that's usually the days we eat out or go out. that way i am less likely to get off track during the week because i can have what i want, without gorging on food just bc its a "Free" day of course, on the weekends!! I've lost 130 lbs doing this (over the past 3 years), no problems!! I gained about 15 lbs back the past few months since i started trying to cut out my free days so i could loose a few more lbs......so now i've given myself my weekends back and have started back loosing!! you cant deprive yourself, or you'll never be able to stick to it long term!! GOOD LUCK!
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
    Saturday is treat day in my house and I never feel guilty about it as long as I've been good all week, it's just nice to have one day a week where you're not worrying about calories and if you're in control the rest of the time I think a day off can be a good thing :)
    Couldnt agree more! Saturday is also treat day in my house but then again, we do live in the same house hehe :happy: Love you long time Mama Bear :tongue:
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Does anyone else find themselves essentially "starting over" come Monday morning? Between drinks and that late night pizza, I find myself just letting go on Saturdays after an awesome and healthy week...which only leads to depression come Monday am! Any one else do this? I'd love some tips on how to stay motivated on the weekends. Any tips on how to stay focused would be awesome!!

    I can only say this - "each calorie is its own entity, gotta count them ALL!"

    So many times, I've seen (and felt) the "oh, well, my diet's gone for the day, might as well..." mentality, and you need to stop that in its tracks.

    I have a smartphone with the MFP app on it, and I count everything, usually before I eat it or immediately afterward. I find that doing so helps keep me honest, and on-budget, about what I'm eating. That doesn't stop me from eating a large slab of my favorite unhealthy food, but it does force me to choose - do I want that or a half-slice of that and a small dessert instead?

    If I find myself going over my limit, I try and force myself to fill up with healthy food so the bad stuff doesn't tempt me. Barring that, I'll try to exercise to earn back my overage for the day. If all else fails, I keep watching the calories and trying to balance the enjoyment of the food in front of me with what it's costing me, even when I've gone over (ESPECIALLY when I've gone over), then forgive myself and move on. Life is nothing without the occasional reasonable indulgence.

    I also weigh myself daily to keep myself accountable for each day's calories. So there's no "weigh-in isn't until Thursday! I can splurge now and starve later!". I know there will be random variances in my weight, but weighing in every morning makes me more aware of my calories the day before - EVERY DAY is weigh-in day.

    Also, when I'm going somewhere, I'd frequently take some food with me. I pack a lunch to work every day, and plan my meals as much as possible on the weekends - to the point of picking a restaurant for supper and entering the meal I intend to eat into MFP right after lunch if I can, where I'm making decisions based on how many calories I have left and not the fact that I'm hungry. Then I just need to hold myself accountable for that decision later.

    Above all, remember - each calorie is its own entity, they don't have any more (or less) impact when eaten with other calories. So if you find yourself ordering a huge meal that's beyond your calorie budget, you've eaten half of it, and you're suddenly not enjoying it as much, STOP EATING IT. Take the rest home for another day, or have your waitperson take it away and get rid of it so you don't nibble at it.
  • ohnoetry
    ohnoetry Posts: 129
    When I first jumped back on the wagon, I avoided social situations on the weekends for this reason. Fortunately I came to my senses. Weekends and parties will always be around, it's how you go about them that make the difference.

    I always go to the gym bright and early on weekends. Whether it's with my personal trainer or by myself, there is no excuse (unless I'm super sore/have planned a rest day).

    The other thing I do is that I limit my cheat to a meal instead of a whole day. That plus the workout makes me feel like I've earned it :)

    Next on the list to master...traveling and going to baseball games without overeating!

    Hope this helps.
  • neh310
    neh310 Posts: 99 Member
    bump
  • Bostonstacey
    Bostonstacey Posts: 23 Member
    Yep, weekends can be a mess. Like a lot of people on here, I allow myself some wiggle room. I generally exercise entirely more on weekends, and log EVERYTHING. I also have made my weekly weigh-ins on Mondays, which always is there in the back of my mind.
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
    I dont look at it as "falling off" or "starting over" I personally give myself 2 free days, mine are friday and saturday since that's usually the days we eat out or go out. that way i am less likely to get off track during the week because i can have what i want, without gorging on food just bc its a "Free" day of course, on the weekends!! I've lost 130 lbs doing this (over the past 3 years), no problems!! I gained about 15 lbs back the past few months since i started trying to cut out my free days so i could loose a few more lbs......so now i've given myself my weekends back and have started back loosing!! you cant deprive yourself, or you'll never be able to stick to it long term!! GOOD LUCK!
    Totally agree with this. I try to just have the saturday off but past few weeks i've been having the sunday off as well :/ but i've found that as long as im super good thru the week and exercise, those 2 days don't make any difference to my weight.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Happens to me every weekend. I have to tell myself, if I don't want to start over, then I can't fall off. It works to a certain extent until we go to the in-laws, who are Italian and tell me, "You need to eat! You're to skinny! Eat. Eat!!"

    Ah, the Italian in-laws. I used to live in an Italian neighborhood, and that's part of the reason why I'm on this site today, many years later. I also have an Italian stepmother who I love very dearly, and she's a fantastic cook, but for dietary reasons I'm glad she lives 2,000 miles away. LOL.

    When I go somewhere that I know the food is going to be really good and in unlimited quantities with someone selling it to me like they are being paid, I'll usually get one plate of food and then join in on the dinner conversation as much as I can, eating slowly the whole time. Many small bites seems to be a good tip - if the fork is moving it looks like I'm eating a lot.

    With pasta, I'll get a big forkful and eat a small amount, then put the rest back on the plate for the next bite or two, being sure to make a production of rolling the fork around while not actually gathering much if any more pasta.

    If I can, I'll "fill" the plate before it's empty by going up and adding a very small amount to what is already there.

    And, of course, there are frequent interruptions to eating to stop and exclaim how great the food is (which in the case of almost every Italian cook I've met, is usually well-founded exclamations!).

    That way, I've eaten a reasonable amount of food, but I can frequently get away with making it look like I ate a lot more than I did. And I often FEEL like I ate a lot more than I did, because I took my time and savored and enjoyed every bite.
  • tonihayden
    tonihayden Posts: 67
    every weekend!
  • barefoot76
    barefoot76 Posts: 314 Member
    I also tend to go overboard on weekends! It mainly has to do with having the kids here -- I am constantly in the kitchen dealing with cries of "I'm hungry!" and "I'm bored!" I grocery shop on Saturdays, and I do all of my weekly cooking for lunches for the week on Sundays. My husband likes to go out or order in from restaurants on weekends, and we both feel like kicking back with some drinks after we put the kids to bed. Food and drink seems to be the theme of the weekend.

    I know that on weekdays what seems to help is planning ahead. My weekdays are more regimented with a schedule to follow, and we are often so busy that there isn't time to mindlessly snack. I have tried to plan out my weekend meals, but the schedule is too crazy.

    The hardest time of day for me is late at night. I'm tired, but I want to stay up to have alone-time with my husband. When I'm tired, I tend to eat/drink more. But I hate to go to bed early and miss out on time with him. He's my best friend :-)

    Anyway, I have only been on MFP a few months and I am seeing things, patterns and habits, that I didn't even know I had. I'm making much better choices than I used to just because I am more aware of them. And I agree with those that said to log it even if you are embarrassed or whatever. Honesty is really important. You might feel shame in the short term, but in the long term I think it will help us make better choices. Hope this helps!
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
    You're not alone. Some things that work for me are logging BEFORE I eat, that way I can reduce my portion size or swap out a side dish if necessary. On the upside, it helps because then I know if I really can have that beer (or two). Another reason weekends are a struggle for me is because I typically eat out. I go the restaurant's website beforehand to see if there is nutritional information available, and then I write down what I will order on a small piece of paper and bring it with me. I read that order directly to the waiter so there is no chance of me switching at the last minute to something unhealthy.

    Another thing that helps is keeping myself busy. Instead of watching TV all Sunday night I've started taking an 8 p.m. yoga class. It relaxes me before bed and gets me off the couch. If yoga is not your thing, maybe just a Sunday night walk with the family or friend or neighbor or whoever (having a partner will help keep you accountable), signing up for a softball league or organizing a pick-up game with friends, or something similar that is fitness related, but is also fun so it won't feel like work.

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