Surviving Weekend Weight Gain
November 01, 2009
"I do so well during the week, and then...BAM!"
I hear this all the time. Many people do so well with their fitness and nutrition plan during the week when the daily rhythm and routine makes it easy to stay on track. Then the weekend arrives. Time to let our hair down, relax the rules, and leave the stresses of the week behind. And that's where the problem often begins. It's time to rethink the weekend and I've put together some sure-fire tips to help you get through the next weekend without needing to spend the next 5 weekdays undoing the damage done!
undoing the damage done!
1 - First, if you've learned to eat healthfully during the week, congratulate yourself for taking a big step in the right direction because many struggle even to get that part right.2 - Stop thinking of the weekend as "The WEEKEND!" (meaning, it's time to cut loose, throw off the stress from the workweek, and party, party, party!) I'm having fun with this, but you get the idea. Think of the weekend as days 6 and 7 in the week, and the weekdays become days 1-5. (This removes some of the gloss of the weekend days.)
3 - If you're craving something badly during the week, have it then. The weekend then is no longer the planned "cheat time." Make it natural - when you really, really want something, have it. Don't let the craving build up.
4 - Share your desires to eat more healthfully on the weekends with whomever you live with. And if they are doing anything that makes it harder for you, ask them politely to alter whatever it is that makes it harder for you. (The social aspect of weekends is what gets us into a bit of trouble.)
4.5 - Expect that when you start to make better choices while others are indulging, you might get "attacked." Recognize that this is their own guilt coming up because you are making a choice they know they should be making. Don't react to the attacks, just remember who you are making the choices for - yourself.
5 - Think before you eat. What I mean is, on the weekends, stop to think, "Do I really want this now?" or "Is this going to bring me closer to my goals or farther away?" or "How will having this now affect how I feel on Sunday night?"
6 - See step 5. Yes, it's that crucial. Often, we eat by habit and without thought, especially when it's time to take a break from the rules. But, asking yourself a question for even just a moment is often enough to interrupt the reflex reaction.
7 - You've realized that you can't make long term progress by eating well 5/7 of the week. Your body builds itself from your habits. And two days of unwise choices forces your body to use more of that junk than it would otherwise.
8 - Remember that you are in control of your actions, but at the same time, when you have a hard time saying no to certain junk foods, it's not entirely your fault. Junk foods are manipulated/engineered to be addictive. There are combinations of fats and sugars, along with enzymes that make our brains react in addictive ways (similar pathways to narcotic drugs, just not as strong of a response). Get mad at the junk food companies, not yourself. Release the guilt, and use your strength to make a better choice.
4 - Share your desires to eat more healthfully on the weekends with whomever you live with. And if they are doing anything that makes it harder for you, ask them politely to alter whatever it is that makes it harder for you. (The social aspect of weekends is what gets us into a bit of trouble.)
4.5 - Expect that when you start to make better choices while others are indulging, you might get "attacked." Recognize that this is their own guilt coming up because you are making a choice they know they should be making. Don't react to the attacks, just remember who you are making the choices for - yourself.
5 - Think before you eat. What I mean is, on the weekends, stop to think, "Do I really want this now?" or "Is this going to bring me closer to my goals or farther away?" or "How will having this now affect how I feel on Sunday night?"
6 - See step 5. Yes, it's that crucial. Often, we eat by habit and without thought, especially when it's time to take a break from the rules. But, asking yourself a question for even just a moment is often enough to interrupt the reflex reaction.
7 - You've realized that you can't make long term progress by eating well 5/7 of the week. Your body builds itself from your habits. And two days of unwise choices forces your body to use more of that junk than it would otherwise.
8 - Remember that you are in control of your actions, but at the same time, when you have a hard time saying no to certain junk foods, it's not entirely your fault. Junk foods are manipulated/engineered to be addictive. There are combinations of fats and sugars, along with enzymes that make our brains react in addictive ways (similar pathways to narcotic drugs, just not as strong of a response). Get mad at the junk food companies, not yourself. Release the guilt, and use your strength to make a better choice.
Jonathan Ross
National Body Challenge Fitness Expert
on line community:
www.inspire.com/JonathanRoss/
www.AionFitness.com
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