Avoid Weekend Weight Loss Setbacks With These Tips
By Rachel Carver
Does this sound familiar? A week of healthy eating and staying active gets derailed by weekend activities. It is natural to want to be included in social gatherings and fun activities with your family.
Avoiding activities such as dining out with friends that you enjoy will frustrate you and set you up for failure. Instead, plan for the unexpected, and remember you do not have to be perfect to succeed.
Read on for tips on how to stay consistent with your healthy habits while also having some fun.
Plan Ahead
Many of us enjoy restaurants with family and friends. Look at menus in advance to plan your food order. This will help you avoid anxiety at restaurants. If a particular restaurant has one of your favorite foods, plan to enjoy it.
Incorporate Weekend Workouts
A workout schedule that also includes rest days will make you more likely to follow through. Adding weekend workouts to your routine will help you make better food choices. A scheduled Saturday morning workout will cause you to think carefully about the calories you consume during Friday night's happy hour outing. Weekend workouts also add structure to your weekend days.
Get Creative With Social Outings
If you regularly dine out with friends, come up with other activities to enjoy. Find a fun hiking trail or schedule a game night. Join a workout class with a partner.
Beware of Alcohol
You don't need to completely outlaw alcohol during weight loss, but you should set consumption limits. Choose single alcohols with non-caloric mixers such as seltzer. If you enjoy wine, choose a spritzer to eliminate extra calories.
Don't Eliminate Food Groups
Saving your indulgences until the weekend will make you more likely to overdo it. Remember you can incorporate all foods into your weekly meals and snacks. Completely cutting out foods we enjoy will only increase the intensity of cravings, which can lead to eating too much. Plan a weekly stop at your favorite ice cream shop. Follow this snack with a healthier lunch or dinner. Enjoying foods you love in moderation will help you achieve your weight loss goal.
Prepare for the Weekend
It is common to find an empty fridge on Friday night. This often leads to ordering takeout or throwing a pizza in the oven. Weekend meal prep means you are set with meals during the first part of the week. By Thursday, you are either out of food or tired of leftovers. Plan some easy meals with non-perishable ingredients to start your weekend. You can also plan a mid-week grocery run to be stocked for the rest of the week.
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