How to Stay On Track on the Weekends
So many of us eat really well during the week - but then get off track on the weekends & have to start all over again on Monday. It can be hard to maintain a healthy diet on the weekend when we’re spending quality time with family and friends. There can be lots of junk food around making healthy meals seem less appealing. But it is possible to make good food choices without skipping meals!
If you’re an active person, I also recommend that you stay active on the weekends as part of your healthy lifestyle. Meet your friends for a walk or a Pilates class, rather than cocktails and your favorite foods. Or share a personal trainer that you meet with on a Saturday morning. That always helps curb the Friday night if you know you need to sweat it out in the morning!
Here are some of my favorite tips to stay on track over the weekend and how to STOP this cycle in its tracks!
How To Stay On Track On The Weekends
1. Make a Plan Ahead of Time
Planning ahead is really key. Here are some top things to do.
Plan For Your Starch
If you’re following my plan of 1-starch per day rule of thumb, save your starch for when you have the least amount of control. So if you and your friends are going to a pizza restaurant on a Friday night, make that juicy big slice of your starch for the day, and stick to healthy food like non-starchy veggies, protein, and fats the rest of the day.
Bring Snacks
Pack something non-perishable in your purse for when you’re out & about - a single-serving pack of nuts, a packet of nut butter, a pack of baked cheese bites, that type of thing! Bringing healthy snacks can help you stay away from mindless eating of fries and other happy hour snacks.
Plan for Alcohol (for those 21 years+)
I also recommend having a plan of action ahead of time for alcohol.
In my program, we set a limit for the # of drinks you have per week (this is for those over 21 years of age) - this is a max & it doesn’t roll over. So if your max is 5 drinks per week, and you had 4 this week, you don’t get 6 the next week.
Look at your week ahead of time & see which events you’re going to be drinking at. Make a plan for the # of drinks to have on each occasion, so they add up to or less than your max for the week.
Here’s a good article on types of alcohol.
Look at Menus Ahead of Time
This is super important! If you’re going out to eat, look at menus ahead of time to see what you want to order & what will fit into your day. You might not be able to stick with clean eating, but you’ll be prepared.
A good thing to do if you’re tracking what you think you’re going to eat in the morning for the whole day so that you don’t get surprised by the end of the day!
Have an Accountability Buddy
Talk with one of your friends ahead of time about your health goals & hold each other accountable.
2. Any One Day or Meal Doesn’t Make a Difference in the Long Term
BUT if we keep telling ourselves this over & over again, it DOES matter. It’s ok to get off track now & again, but don’t make it a regular occurrence.
I love this graphic by Carter Good which I think illustrates this point really well.
3. If You Did Get Off Track
Make a small list of things to do to get back on track - something that’s really easy & takes a short period of time to do, like:
Planning the next meal
Planning your next grocery list
Plan the next time you’re going to go to the grocery store or meal prep
Brush your teeth
Wash your face
This way, you’ll quickly & easily feel back in control!
4. Late Night Munchies?
If you can go to bed, go to bed! That is my #1 piece of advice.
But I know that is not always doable! If you really need to munch - try seaweed snacks or carrot chips -
OR split something small with a friend or get a kid’s size item - a small order of fries, a kid’s size ice cream, that type of thing! This is one of my favorite healthy habits as it allows me to indulge without going overboard.
If you’re tracking what you’re eating, I do recommend continuing to track, even if you’re going over your calorie limit. This often helps us keep things in perspective, and not throw in the towel & eat the whole pizza pie :)