Tips For Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle Over the Weekend
Published: Sat, 09/29/18
Are you ready to rock the weekend? I know I have been looking forward to this weekend in particular. I just moved into my new home last weekend. The last month has been non-stop cleaning, painting, packing, and moving. Now that I'm all unpacked I am ready for some downtime!
How do you like to spend your weekends? Are you on the go fitting in as many activities and social events as possible, or do you like to use your weekends to decompress and relax after a grueling week?
Maybe a little of both?
Regardless of whether you're on the go or taking it easy, it can be challenging to stay on track with a healthy lifestyle.
Quite often I find that when you're super restrictive during the week it's much harder to maintain control once that Friday happy hour hits. You may find you spend the weekend trying to fit in all the delicious "cheat meals" you can before you have to dial it back in on Monday. These weekends can very easily derail the progress you made during the week. If you look at your weekly caloric totals are they in line with your goals?
So how can you find balance to keep from completely losing control and backsliding to a place where you feel like you've failed or that you need to "start over" yet again?
I use these 3 tactics to stay balanced.
1. Eat for your goals:
You do have goals, right? If living a balanced healthy lifestyle, weight loss, or performance are your goals, then you are more than likely emotionally invested in the outcome of your diet. You know how your body responds to food, so choosing the right food to meet or maintain your intended goal should be your priority. Trust yourself. You know what to do! Consistency is the hardest, yet most important piece of the puzzle. When making choices involving food, stop and think about what you are about to eat and consider how it effects your goals. There will be times that you reach for the nutrient dense lower calorie options, and there will be times where you indulge. Neither is a right or wrong choice.
2. Game plan your day:
Knowing your goals and why these goals are important will help you mentally prepare the day ahead of you. Consider what your schedule is like, are you going to be on the run and will it be difficult to access nutritious food? Do you have dinner or drinks scheduled with friends or a date? Knowing what challenges lie ahead of you can help you choose or prepare the best options for your goals. If you are running around, you can pack your own lunch and have healthy snacks available. If you know you are planning a night out where you will be enjoying drinks or high calorie foods you can eat lighter throughout the day to balance out the caloric intake. Preparation is the key to success and puts you in control. And I don't know about you, but I am a fan of feeling like I've got my shit together!
3. No restrictions, no regrets:
Food that is off limits often becomes an obsession. If you restrict yourself from chocolate, suddenly that's ALL you're thinking about. Then if you "slip up" and indulge it can lead to feelings of regret, shame, and possibly make you feel like you failed for the week, so why bother controlling anything else? When you allow yourself the freedom to eat anything it reduces the anxiety surrounding food. You don't feel like you're missing out. A lot of times I'll find myself thinking that I could really go for a brownie, or some ice cream later in the day, and then when the time comes, because I have the freedom to eat it, I often choose not to. If I do indulge there are no regrets.
Now don't get me wrong, this doesn't happen over night. Mindset regarding food takes practice. Learning to "treat" in moderation, and letting go of the standard "good" and "bad" labels we give food takes some getting used to. The best advice I can give you as you work through your emotional connection with food is to be kind to yourself. Try to let go and move past moments of over indulgence. Keep moving forward. Starting over is not necessary. Just pick up where you left off and do your best to do better with the next choice.
What are some of your tactics to stay on track? Shoot me a message and let me know your favorite tricks and tactics!
Have a delightful weekend!
Mary
mary@mbstrength.com
mbstrength.com