Weekends bringing you down?

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I love me my weekends. Love them so much so that they're bringin' me down (Bruce!) I touched on this a few months back in this post, but I wanted to talk more about it because it's something I struggle with weekly. I formed a habit I'm still trying to break when I was at my lowest weight the first two and a half years of college. I would eat almost nothing all week and then binge on Fridays and Saturdays. Since I kept losing weight, I kept doing it. Until, as I've mentioned, I eventually just never stopped binging.

Before the start of this year, I would at least attempt eating healthy and working out during the week but literally do nothing athletic on the weekends and eat whatever I wanted. Over the last 6 months, I've transitioned to at least doing some sort of physical activity one of the days, whether it be a long run or a bootcamp class at That Gym (which is AWESOME, by the way, if you want more information!) However, my eating still needs a kick in the butt and my girl over at Peanut Butter Fingers just so happened to write about this topic on the website Fit Bottomed Girls. As I read these tips, I realized that these are easy changes to make in order to not feel like I've totally un-done all my hard work during the week but also feel better about indulging a little more than I would on, say, a Monday or Tuesday.

Tips to Avoid Overeating on the Weekend

1. Eat a healthy breakfast. Start your day on the right foot by eating a breakfast that includes healthy carbs, fat and protein.

2. Take time for snacks. I am often busier on the weekends and won’t eat my mid-morning and afternoon snack like I normally do during the weekdays. Make it a point to eat your snacks to avoid extreme hunger (and possible overindulgence) come mealtime.

3. Assess your surroundings. If you’re truly at a special event (like a wedding), indulge (but don’t overindulge) in something special like wedding cake. If the event is a routine barbecue or a simple get-together with friends, don’t use it as an excuse to down copious amounts of chips and dip.

4. Fit in fitness. My days off from the gym put me in lazy mode. Even on rest days, get out of the house and go for a walk to remind yourself that healthy living occurs on days away from the gym, too.

5. Keep your hands busy. I tend to head into the kitchen when I’m hanging out around the house simply because I like to be doing something. Watching TV or a movie can make me antsy. Keep your hands busy with something else (file your nails, pet your dog, exchange hand massages with your boyfriend, flip through a magazine) while watching TV to avoid the urge to wander into the kitchen.

I also get a little caught up in "other people" and it's also a habit I've become very conscious of breaking. I've heard other people say this and I feel the same way: I see everyone around me eating whatever they want and I think, "if they can do it, so can I! I just ran a freakin' half marathon!" Well, stfu self, because they may not have the same goals as me nor do I know what else they've eaten that day/week/month/year. So, how do I know if they "eat whatever they want"? Besides, I need to worry about myself and what I can control (i.e. eating 1 piece of pizza instead of 9) and remember that I won't be hurting anyone but myself if I continue to over-eat on the weekends.

Do you struggle with healthy eating on the weekends? What are your tips for maintaining healthy eating habits over the weekend?