Do you constantly find yourself “starting over” every Monday morning? Weekends can be more difficult to stay on-track with a diet and fitness regimen because you’re not following your regular daily routine. There are dinner dates, parties, family gatherings and late-night eateries that lure you away from your weekday discipline. Weekend menus also tend to be more celebratory; “I worked so hard all week, I deserve a treat!” and in this mind-set it’s easy to stray from the healthy habits you have been working toward all week.
The following tips are designed to help your diet endure through the weekend so you can see the results you’re working so hard to obtain. These helpful guidelines can keep you focused and on-track in the most sinful situations (i.e. birthday party at your favorite Mexican restaurant: hello cheese enchiladas, margaritas and cake…all in one sitting!) You should celebrate your success with small treats, but when you find yourself about to overdo it, remember this: How you will feel about your decisions once Monday morning rolls around?
Tips for Dieting Through the Weekend:
Be Active - Plan outdoor activities like bike rides and hikes. Take your dog for a walk or plan to spend a few hours gardening. These activities are fun and have the added benefit of burning calories!
Drink Water -Bring a water bottle with you everywhere you go. This will ensure you meet your daily intake for the day and help you resist the temptation to grab a soda or mistake thirst for hunger.
Triumph over Temptations - Set specific goals to get through the temptations. Base them on the realities of what you’ll be doing (i.e. picnic, charity event, baseball game). They may look very different than your weekday goals, and that’s okay, they key is not to use these events as excuses to overload on high-calorie foods. (An occasional ballpark hotdog is fine, but hitting every popcorn, beer and ice cream stand at the park isn’t!)
Prepare Ahead - If you’re going to be running around all day, pack some healthy snacks in case you get hungry. There is nothing worse than being hungry at the mall, and the only food options are fast food or ice cream. Good options that don’t spoil are baby carrots, a whole wheat sandwich, a protein bar, almonds, etc…) If you’re often tempted by fast food restaurants on your drive, leave some healthy options in your car to help steer you in the right direction!
Lighter Libations - We should all enjoy an active social life, which often includes cocktails with friends. Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you have to hang up your party pants, the key is to stick to lower-calorie alcoholic beverages, such as, vodka or gin with club soda, a martini without added mixers, light beer or wine spritzer. A favorite for many women is flavored vodka with club soda and a lime, it tastes like a decadent cocktail with half the calories! Just beware of some restaurant favorites, like the all-mighty margarita, some have up to 700 calories per drink!
Set Mondays as Your Weigh-In Day - You’re more likely to resist temptation if you have to face the scale first thing Monday morning.
Arm Yourself - If you are going out to eat, find the restaurant’s menu and any other available nutritional information online. You’ll have plenty of time to make a healthy choice before you get there.
Splurge - The trick is not to save all of your indulgences for the weekends. Allowing yourself a few treats throughout the week will help you avoid the mindset that the weekend is an excuse to go on a diet bender. And by spacing your treats evenly, you’re less likely to get sudden, irresistible cravings.
With a little extra effort and planning, you can enjoy your weekends and keep your program moving in the right direction!