Help! The weekends are killing me!

Anyone have any advice on how to survive the weekends?  I do great all week but once Friday night hits..... hanging out with friends, having a few drinks, steak on the BBQ...... Plus, with three kids and friends kids there is a lot of kid friendly food (chips, hot dogs....)  I snack without even realizing it!  So Monday morning I am at the same place I was the previous Monday!  Has anyone been there and overcome the vicious circle?

Hi, I am in the same boat most of the time too, but it isn't always the parties and stuff but eating out and snacking.  The only time I do really well on a weekend is if I prepare my mind and food ideas (and stock) before the weekend comes and I try to plan things that would keep me busy with other things than just food.  Diet soda is my thing no matter what is being served and then I try to think and be conscious before I eat to eat balanced, even if it isn't perfect.  Another way is to prepare or bring things that you can eat that would be satisfying to you.  Wishing you the best on on this journey.  Just remember you are worth it and maybe it's time to put you first instead of pleasing every one else.  I speak from where I cometh.  smile  God loves you and will help you, just ask.  HUGS   Bobbi Jo

Everyone has one thing in common on all these posts.....DRINKING. I am not in AA or a tea drinker but I have to say when I cut out the drinking, I lost weight.

I lost 105 pounds and almost always took "weekends off".  I had to allow myself some cheating room, because, let's face it - WE HAVE TO LIVE!  I didn't COMPLETELY overdo it, just allowed myself some wiggle room.  Some suggestions that worked for me were to eat lighly during the day on Friday (yogurt and salad and lots of water), don't splurge for every meal on the weekend (if I know I'm going out Saturday night, I'll eat lightly during the day on Saturday), and then again, eat lighly on Monday.  It's really a give and take!  And then of course, always ask yourself is eating this hotfudge Sunday really going to be worth the guilt and the 2 extra pounds on the scale on Monday?  Sometimes the answer will be yes, and if so - just don't eat the whole thing!

Oh and as always - drink lots of water! 

Hope this helps.  Good luck!

Original Post by rebecca1976:

Anyone have any advice on how to survive the weekends?  I do great all week but once Friday night hits..... hanging out with friends, having a few drinks, steak on the BBQ...... Plus, with three kids and friends kids there is a lot of kid friendly food (chips, hot dogs....)  I snack without even realizing it!  So Monday morning I am at the same place I was the previous Monday!  Has anyone been there and overcome the vicious circle?

I made a promise to myself that if I I stayed with my calories count and exercise 5 days per week, than on the weekend, I reward myself.  I do it moderately!  A small portion of dessert, meats, pasta and of course 1 glass of wine.  For dinner, I eat light follow by a 30 min. walk.

You can eat whatever you want but in small portion during the mid-day but don't eat heavy dinner.  Remember, don't eat dinner past 7 o'clock. 

Make healthy BBQ food.  If you make a whole heap of mainly vege kabobs (ie cut small chunks of onion, peppers (capsicum), pineapple and mushrooms) and skewer them then put them on the grill they are delicious and nutritious.  You'll be surprised how many of them are eaten by others too.  If full vegetarian is too much for you, add some small cubes of chicken/turkey breast meat or Salmon.  I usually spray them with a light coating of garlic infused olive oil before I cook them.  Yum!!!!

As for the drinking, I gave it up years ago at the same time I gave up smoking.  I found the only way to give up smoking was to give up drinking at the same time.  It worked (no cigarettes in 4 years). So I now exclusively drink water - even at parties and bars.  It sounds so boring but I love drinking water now.  If I really want to party, I go for soda water with a twist of lemon/lime :-D

I would try bringing Turkey burgers with Arnolds thins for buns...or FF hot dogs, doesn't sound appealing but not too bad and much better for you. Instead of bringing chips bring salad with all the fixings...Or bring chicken breasts. I am going on vacation soon and I too do not want to consume too many calories as there will be drinking going on. I am going to bring all the food I just mentioned as I know we will be grilling out....Hope this helps.

you gave great advice i to make the weekend a challenge  and i work out more when i know i will indulge a little when going out what you have to remember is this is a life style of eating always keep it in your thoughts that its ok to have this or that portion control is another challenge you learn to do well when you keep at it until something clicks for you like those ribs over there are not worth the extra  hour or so it will take to burn them off

the weekends used to frighten the hell outta me. then I discovered Boca Burgers and MorningStar meatless products. I'm not kidding you, Morningstar Corndogs are AWESOME!!! they taste JUST like the real thing, with half the calories and even less than half the fat of regular ones. you can eat 2! if you munch on lots of fruits and veggies, you're always safe.

Raspberries with 1 tbsp of chocolate syrup is also EXTREMELY decadent, my husband and I prefer it over icecream now! (even my KIDS have gotten into it!)

Eating Healthy is hard, I know. but you can do it!!!

Just reading this and realise that I try to have a large breakfast later on in the day about 10 -11 am that is around 500 calories then stick to fruit and veges throuhgout the day which leave me with lots of room for that yummy dinner and maybe even dessert. The extra in the breakfast helps to keep me full. Also, make sure there is lots going on so I don't eat due to boredom.

If only I could find a way to get thriugh the evenings. I feel my good eating has become a Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 job coz as soon as the weekend starts, I just lose it.  I try hard to plan my meals over weekends and most times the days are fine, but when night falls, it's a different story. I become like a little gremlin - no eating after 12 - well, I start from around seven and then it goes on till Sunday evenings.  I find it's getting harder and harder to control myself and to do everything in moderation.

Fortunately, I look forward to gym every Monday and yes then i work extra hard.

This post is really helpful and I'm constantly taking little tid bits of advice from everyone and trying to apply it in my own situation. Hopefully soon i can also give my own two pence's worth of what worked for me!

We must just keep on!

On the weekened, I won't really eat unless someone hands something to me at an outing. I will grab about half of what I want and pass the bag on. It really helps with me, but my social circle really doesn't try to feed me all the time. So this tacttic might not work with everyone.