Dieting is often more of a challenge on the weekend. During the week, you have a steady routine that revolves around work. When the weekend rolls along, however, it can disrupt your diet. You’re more likely to go out to dinner or maybe to a club or ball game. All of these activities make it harder to stick to your diet. Let’s look at some good habits to keep in mind for the weekend.
Beware of Concession Stands
Whether you’re at the movies or a sporting event, concession stands can wreak havoc on your diet. Large tubs of popcorn, super-sized sodas, and hot dogs are just a few of the high-calorie snacks that can undo all of the week’s healthy habits.
Why not simply skip the concession stand and bring some healthier items with you? If you eat a good dinner beforehand, you probably won’t even be hungry. Many people just patronize these overpriced concession stands out of habit. Pack a delicious protein shake and bring it with you; protein is one of the more filling nutrients, so it can stave off hunger for longer periods of times.
Ordering at the Restaurant
When ordering at the restaurant, it’s always good to start with soup and/or a salad. With salad, be careful with dressings. Oil and vinegar is best, and it’s quite tasty if you add some fresh ground pepper. If you do order a higher-calorie dressing, ask for it on the side so you can ration the amount you use.
If you drink a high protein smoothie before going out to eat, you will have taken the edge off your appetite. You should still have room to enjoy your dinner, but you’ll have less room for overindulging.
These strategies should help you to control your portions when you eat out. It’s best to avoid all you can eat buffets, as these encourage overeating.
Start the Weekend With a Workout
Saturday morning is a good time to go to the gym or do some other workout. This gets your weekend off to a good start. It will also give you a good reason not to overdo it on Friday night.
You could, of course, do your workout on Sunday instead. Most people, however, would prefer to get it over with on Saturday so that Sunday can be more of a laid back day. Either way, a workout will help compensate for any extra calories you take in over the course of the weekend. This doesn’t mean you can completely abandon your diet all weekend, though! Follow these strategies, and you should have a fun weekend without derailing your diet.
