Many of us look forward to the weekend as the time to take a break from our regular exercise and diet routine. After all, you've diligently stuck to your macros and blasted your butts off at the gym, so nobody should deny you the odd glass of wine or a large serving of barbecue this weekend.
However, it’s important not to fritter away the gains of your diet on a single weekend. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying nutritious food and even indulging your sweet tooth, everything should be in moderation. Here are some tips to help you keep your diet intact on the weekend.
Plan Your Weekends to Be Healthy
Don’t head into your weekend without any plans on how to maintain your diet. If you are attending a party, don’t go on an empty stomach or your willpower may not stand the chance of controlling your hungry stomach. If you are going to hang out with friends on the beach, be sure to pack a bag of healthy snacks and don’t take too much of sugary drinks. It all adds up!
If you and your spouse already booked dinner at a restaurant, have a look at the menu online and go for only meals that promote your diet. You should enjoy your weekend, but not to the extreme.
Reward Yourself Healthily
Keeping your diet in top-notch shape is a feat worth celebrating, but splurge healthily. Rewards shouldn’t have to come in the form of cakes or sweets or cookies. Why not see a movie or take a long drive around the countryside with your kids in tow. You will enjoy the change of scenery, and the fresh air is great for everyone. If you must indulge in food, then go for healthy, diet-friendly snacks that won’t derail your efforts for the week.
Don’t Wait Until the Weekend
There is an urge that comes with deprivation which you want to avoid at all costs. Rather than wait until the weekend before treating yourself, it’s much better to have a treat here and there during the week, so your craving will be controllable during the weekend. There's nothing wrong with that lone piece of candy or slice of cake, as long as you don’t make it a habit. It’s better than splurging uncontrollably at the weekend.
Don’t Be Rigid
It’s important that you don’t set extreme goals for yourself as research has shown that extreme diets usually fail mainly because of their restriction. Remember that eating plays a vital role in socialisation, and you should enjoy delicious meals with your family and friends as much as you can, but always be mindful of your portion. Don’t drink extra because the table is flowing with bottles and don’t overload your plate because every other person has a mountain of food before them. Eat smart, live healthy.
Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Even if you went overboard with your indulgences at the weekend, does that mean your whole diet plan is lost forever? Far from it! Whether you had too many bottles of soda or you took an extra serving of fatty food, you can always pick up from where you stopped. Remember that dieting or exercising is a work in progress and in fact lifetime journeys with slips and bumps at many junctions on the way. So cut yourself some slack and enjoy with moderation. Whatever you lost, you can always make it back with determination. Moderation is key; eat responsibly and healthily.
