Weight Loss and the Weekends

Weekends, accounting for 156 days, make up 42% of our year. Instead of viewing them as special occasions, consider them as regular days. They happen every week.

There are 52 Fridays, 52 Saturdays & 52 Sundays in a year.

52 x 3 = 156 days in the year.

That is 42% of the year.

You may want to learn how to manage these weekends to the best of your ability.

Tips to help the weekends be successful

Start by approaching weekends without stress by seeing them as regular days. You can make intentional choices every day. You have your hunger and fullness to help you alongside a plan.

Plan Ahead

Try to plan your errands, social events, and free time. Plan for the next week to ensure a more organized life. Living by design rather than by default so that you can take control of your time and choices.

One other thing, try to distinguish between special and regular occasions: Not every little event deserves a full-blown food fest. Make compromises when needed but keep it real. Recognize the value of moderation and balance in your lifestyle choices.

Finally, before the weekend mindset kicks in, take a moment to envision how you want to feel on Monday. Make choices that align with your goals and values, leaving you proud and ready to tackle the challenges of the upcoming week.

Setup Nutritionally For What’s Ahead

If you know that Saturdays are days when you tend to consume more calories, plan your meals strategically to accommodate that.

Delay eating in the morning: Consider delaying your first meal to save some calories for dinner out. This allows you to enjoy your evening without worrying about exceeding your daily caloric intake.
Load up on veggies and protein: Prioritize consuming vegetables and protein before heading out for dinner. This allows you to ensure that you will hit your protein and keep you from overdoing it out of being starving.
Consider a pre-dinner protein shake: If you know your meal may be lower in protein, try having a half-protein shake before leaving. This helps you meet your protein requirements for the day, preventing excessive hunger that might lead to overeating during the evening. It’s a proactive step to maintain control over your choices and avoid making impulsive decisions driven by hunger.

Regulate Your Sleep

Try to keep a steady sleep routine. Sleep is like a reset button that helps clear our minds of the toxins of the day both biologically and mentally. It is a necessity—a non-negotiable.

If you find yourself staying up late, allow for some flexibility in the morning by allowing yourself to stay in bed a bit longer. Recognize the importance of giving your body the rest it needs to rejuvenate and restore. Clear out parts of the following day to rest and relax. This isn’t laziness; it’s a conscious effort to maintain a balance of your body’s fundamental needs — rest, nutrition, and movement.

A well-regulated sleep routine is not just about the quantity of sleep but also the quality. Create a sleep-friendly environment, practice relaxation techniques, and be mindful of your sleep hygiene. By consistently prioritizing and regulating your sleep, you contribute to better overall health, cognitive function, and emotional well-being.

This is maintaining a balance of our body’s needs; rest, nutrition, and movement.

Stay Mindful

Be present. Eat at tables and be active in conversations. Eat slowly. Check-in with yourself to make sure you know where your level of fullness is throughout the meal.

Try staying mindful of your eating habits to help your weight loss journey during the entire week, but especially during the weekend.

Be present: When sitting down for a meal, be fully present. Avoid distractions like electronic devices and focus on the flavors, textures, and experience of eating. Engage in conversations and savor each bite.
Eat at tables: Whenever possible, choose to eat at a table rather than on the go or in front of the TV. Sitting down for a meal creates a more intentional eating environment, allowing you to pay attention to portion sizes and your body’s cues.
Be active in conversations: Use mealtime as an opportunity to connect with others. Engaging in conversations not only enhances the social aspect of eating but also helps slow down your pace, giving your body more time to signal feelings of fullness.
Eat slowly: Practice mindful eating by chewing your food slowly and savoring each bite. This allows your body to recognize when it’s satisfied, reducing the likelihood of overeating.
Check-in with yourself: Throughout the meal, periodically check in with yourself to assess your level of fullness. Pause and ask yourself how hungry or satisfied you are. This self-awareness can prevent mindless eating and help you make choices aligned with your weight loss goals.

Get Active

Use the time to get outdoors and enjoy time outside of the house. If you do not have time to make a conscious effort to get outdoors for a hike, run, bike ride, or walk, try some of these while you’re around the house or out and about. Small movements do add up. They do count. They can make a big difference.

Move and Stretch Throughout the Day: Integrate short movement breaks into your day if you are resting and relaxing more.
Stack Habits: March in place or perform light exercises while scrolling through social media.
Opt for Walking Instead of Grocery Pickup: Choose to walk around the store instead of opting for convenient grocery pickup.
Explore the Store Perimeter Before Shopping: Take a stroll around the store perimeter before diving into your shopping list.
Park Farther Away or Use Bathrooms Further Away: Purposefully park farther away from your destination. Opt for bathrooms that require a bit more walking. These choices accumulate steps throughout the day.
Conclude the Day with a Post-Dinner Walk: Head out for a post-dinner walk for steps. It aids digestion and offers a peaceful way to unwind.
Prioritize Walking Over Standing, and Standing Over Sitting: When possible, choose walking over standing and standing over sitting.
Make Multiple Trips When Doing Chores: Instead of trying to carry everything at once, make multiple trips during chores. This not only completes tasks efficiently but also adds to your movement.
Pace or March in Place During Events: Incorporate light exercises like pacing or marching in place during events or gatherings.
Walk in Malls While Traveling: When in a mall, take advantage of the opportunity to walk and explore. It’s an enjoyable way to stay active, particularly when traveling.
Pace While Talking on the Phone: Use your phone conversations as an opportunity to pace around.
Establish a Nightly Routine: Include movements in your nightly routine, such as closing down the house and tidying up.

No “Cheat Day” Mindset

Think back to different scenarios where the term cheating has been used. Whether it’s in a relationship, on a test, between kids playing a game… It does not have a good connotation.

A cheat meal may sound like it’s harmless, but think about what you’re telling yourself. In that moment, you are allowed to cheat on yourself and what you want to do in life. You’re giving yourself permission to go ahead and act out of character or out of line with what you currently desire and strive for. What we say matters. What we say to ourselves matters even more.

Instead of framing it as ‘cheating,’ view it as a conscious choice. It’s not cheating. It’s a choice.

Enjoy it mindfully and make sure that it’s something that you will feel OK about later. This is your life to live, and you’re the only one who has to be OK with 100% of your choices.

This is your life to live, and every choice is an opportunity to nourish your body and mind positively. Grant yourself the freedom to enjoy a meal without the burden of a ‘cheat’ label.

Eat Your Fruits & Veggies

Healthy snacks with fruits & veggies can help offset some of the meals that may be had outside of the home. The following are some different proteins that you can easily carry around in portable containers to have a long side of different fruits and veggies.

Cottage Cheese (1 cup – 28 grams of protein): While cottage cheese might not be everyone’s favorite, it can be a great addition to fruits or veggies. Try it savory with cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper, or sweet with peaches or pineapple. Experiment with flavors to find a combination that suits your taste.
Greek Yogurt (1 cup – 20 grams of protein): Greek yogurt is a versatile protein source. Add fresh berries, granola, or even some dark chocolate chips to satisfy sweet cravings.
Peanut Butter (2 tablespoons – 8 grams of protein): While peanut butter is energy-dense, it can still be part of a healthy snack. Pair it with an apple, banana, or other fruits. If you’re on the go, consider single-serving peanut butter packs for convenience.
Hummus (1/2 cup – 7 grams of protein): Hummus is a protein-rich dip that pairs well with veggies. Explore different textures and flavors – whether it’s a classic hummus or unique options like brownie batter hummus for a sweet treat or garlic hummus for a savory twist.

Stay Hydrated

The body needs water to survive and thrive. This becomes even more crucial during weekends, especially if you choose to enjoy some alcoholic beverages.

Some things that you can do here…

Keep a Water Bottle Handy: Carry a water bottle with you throughout the weekend. Having it readily available serves as a visual reminder to drink water consistently.
Set Timers for Hydration: Use your phone to set reminders every 2 hours, encouraging you to drink another 8 to 10 ounces of water. Using the stopwatch timer on your phone.
Incorporate Hydrating Fruits and Vegetables: Some fruits and vegetables have high water content, contributing to your hydration. Consider incorporating options like watermelon, cucumber, oranges, strawberries, and celery into your weekend snacks.
Start Your Day with Water: Try starting your day off with a large glass of water. You can enhance it by adding a splash of flavor with fruits like lemon or infusing it with refreshing mint leaves. This not only helps with hydration but also sets a positive tone for the day.

Get Connected

Spend time with friends and family to have the connection that we need as humans. If this is going to be around food, try to bring healthy food options, eat before you go to help curb your hunger, or create a food plan ahead of time, consider these strategies to make mindful choices:

Bring Healthy Food Options: If you have the opportunity to contribute to the gathering, consider bringing healthy food options. This way, you ensure there are choices available for you to have while out.
Eat Before You Go: Having a satisfying meal before attending a gathering can help curb hunger and reduce the likelihood of overindulging in less healthy options.
Create a Food Plan: Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time, especially if you know you’ll be around tempting food. Having a plan can help you make mindful choices and stay on track with your weight loss goals.

Here are some get-together options featuring healthy food choices:

Veggie Platters: Vegetable Charcuterie Board, How To Make a Colorful Crudite Platter Dips: Avocado Mango Salsa, The Best Baba Ganoush & High-Protein Cottage Cheese Veggie Dip with Za’atar
Fruit Platters: Tropical Fruit Salad, Red White + Blue Fruit Pizza, Fruit Kabobs, Rainbow Fruit Skewers with Yogurt Fruit Dip, Mozzarella Basil and Tomato Skewers, or Watermelon Caprese Salad
Appetizers: Air Fryer Bacon-Burger Bites, Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce, Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Skins, Individual 7-Layer Dips Recipe or Spinach and Bacon Stuffed Mushroom Recipe

Create a Routine to Setup the Week Ahead

It is not necessary to meal prep for hours on a Sunday, but it is very helpful to prepare yourself well for the week ahead. We can prepare in a multitude of different ways.

Try to establish a routine during the weekend to set up for a successful week ahead. This can include simple meal planning, involving family in the process, organizing your planner, and completing essential tasks like laundry and grocery shopping.

When Weekends Go Awry

Take a moment to reflect: Why do weekends tend to throw you off?

Try about the change in pace and find ways to maintain that balance without going off the rails.

Finally, know that it’s okay to slip up or get a little off track. Just don’t let it ruin your whole weekend or spill over into your next week. What we do after those moments has a tendency to matter a lot more than the moment itself.

Alcohol

Addressing common pitfalls, like higher alcohol consumption, can be necessary. While abstaining can aid weight loss, it’s not mandatory. Instead, explore alternative ways to relax and unwind creatively to help lessen the overall consumption.

Explore new ways to unwind: Don’t just rely on food and alcohol for relaxation. Get creative and try out different ways to de-stress after a tough week. You might discover some awesome alternatives!
Be real about alcohol: Think about how alcohol affects your behaviors and goals. Be honest with yourself and decide if it aligns with what you truly want.

Weight Loss and the Weekends