The story is familiar to almost everyone. You start off the week on the right foot and stick to the plan for the days that follow. You’re eating well and exercising every day — you can do this! Then, the weekend arrives so you decide to treat yourself. One treat turns into two, which turns into three, until you completely lose sight of your healthy eating campaign, and indulge instead, while vowing that your healthy lifestyle will be back on track at the start of next week!
It doesn’t have to be this way. You can stick to the plan on weekends, holidays, and special events. You just need to prepare a little. Use the following 3 tips to stay motivated throughout the weekend.
1. Eat Breafkast Before Brunch
It may sound counterproductive — why purposely eat two meals one right after the other? Brunch with family or friends can be distracting, causing you to consume a lot more calories than you would otherwise. Putting a little something in your stomach before you get to brunch will help to control your hunger so that you don’t overindulge during the bigger meal.
2. Always Eat at a Table
If you’re sitting around at home or at a friend’s house all day, you may begin to snack out of boredom. A little snack may seem harmless at first, but the calories add up a lot more quickly than you would think, and there is no proper way of keeping track if you’re snacking straight out of the package. Instead, take out a portion equivalent to one serving and put it in a bowl. Sit down at the table to eat the snack so that you can properly enjoy it. Your body will release satiety signals when you eat this way, causing you to snack a lot less.
3.Be Conscious About Your Alcohol Intake
It’s no secret that many alcoholic drinks are high in calories — especially sweet cocktails, champagne, and beer. Not only do alcoholic drinks contain a lot of calories, but the foods that often accompany them, such as french fries, pizza, and hamburgers, are high-calorie foods as well. If you’re drinking alcohol while eating, you are probably also less inhibited about your intake. We’re not suggesting that you cut out alcohol completely, but take the proper steps to ensure that you consume it in a smart way. Eat a healthy meal before you go out for a drink, increase your water intake, and be aware of how many calories your drink of choice has.
