Want to lose weight & stay on track this weekend?

Does the above resonate with you? 

It’s a common cycle. 

Monday through Friday, you’re ‘on point’ with your nutrition and exercise.

Then the weekend hits, and it’s like all that discipline goes out the window. 

I get it… the weekend is a time to rest and recover for the week ahead. 

It’s completely normal to relax your eating habits such as enjoying meals out – and with balance this can certainly fit within your health goals!

But, if you overdo it by overeating your favourite foods and having all your meals out, this can leave you feeling not-so-great which doesn’t set you up well for the next week. 

So… how do you find the balance?

Have a flexible plan to follow

It’s good to add flexibility into your routine to allow some space for habits to be broken. You can do this by identifying moments you’d like to take a break from a habit temporarily. 

For example you’re craving some hot chips –  eating them mindlessly on your own at home may not seem appealing to you, but enjoying them with your favourite meal at a restaurant is what you’d like to do. 

Have a few non-negotiable habits 

If your weekends are unpredictable with more commitments, it can help to have a few non-negotiable habits you do every day.

For example making sure you have a filling breakfast, drinking enough water, or getting enough sleep. Or if you want to increase your vegetable intake, this could be ordering a side of vegetables or salad with meals you have out. 

Make use of more time to exercise 

During the week it’s challenging to fit in workouts with a busier schedule, but on the weekends if you don’t have as many commitments, you might have a bit more time.

If this is the case, you can use this as an opportunity to do a longer workout you enjoy, such as a yoga class or going for a long walk or run. 

Avoid restricting foods during the week 

If you restrict your favourite foods during the week and only allow yourself to enjoy them on the weekend, you will usually end up overeating and feeling sick. This creates a binge-restrict cycle which harms your relationship with food and has other long term health consequences.

It’s actually better to include these foods in your diet when you’re craving them and enjoying them mindfully, paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues. Your diet on the weekend might still look a bit different compared to during the week which is fine, but it will be more balanced. 

Instead, do this….