What's Your Diet Doing This The Weekend?

[Guest guest]

I always do badly over the weekend. This is rather helpful:

Prevention

weight.loss

What's Your Diet Doing this Weekend?

To lose weight and keep it off, you've gotta stick with it--Monday through

Sunday. These tips make it a cinch

By Sally Kuzemchak, RD , Sally Kuzemchak writes frequently about nutrition and

health and has worked in weight management and diabetes education as a

registered dietitian. She lives in Ohio with her husband and son.

no joke - this is exercise

There's something about weekends that sends caution--and calories--to the wind.

Even if your workweek is all about smart snacks and sensible dinners, for many

of us, all weight loss bets are off come 5 PM Friday, says clinical psychologist

Maurer, PhD, author of One Small Step Can Change Your Life. " It's almost

like a dam bursting, " he says. We're tired and feel like we've earned the right

to put healthy weight loss habits on hold. A University of North Carolina at

Chapel Hill study revealed that adults take in an extra 222 calories--nearly 15%

of the number of calories an average woman needs each day--over the course of

the weekend (including Friday).

Of course you want to live a little on the weekend, but if you're trying for

weight loss, or even just keep the scale steady, you have to maintain a certain

level of vigilance. Here, how to rethink your weekend habits so you'll lose

weight all week.

WEEKEND THINK

This week was tough; I deserve to splurge

HEALTHIER SPURGE

Splurge with extra savvy. The need for a reward is human nature, says

Gullo, PhD, author of The Thin Commandments Diet. And for many, that " something

special " is food. You can't change what makes you happy, but you can minimize

the diet damage. Choose one portion-controlled item that requires you to leave

the house, such as a cup of lobster bisque from your favorite eatery or a small,

fresh pastry from the bakery. " It's more rewarding to have a nice treat than to

waste calories on regular things you can have anytime, like potato chips or

cookies, " says Gullo. Doing something special works, too: Catch a movie, get a

massage at the spa, or buy a flattering pair of yoga pants.

WEEKEND THINK

Eating and entertaining go hand in hand

HEALTHIER SPURGE

Plan some activities, not meals

When you eat with friends, you consume 50% more than you do alone, found a

Pennsylvania State University study. Researchers suspect that it's not the food

but a tendency to lengthen the meal to keep the good times going. Instead, shift

your notion of fun to nonfood activities. You likely have a few favorites that

don't involve eating--build on these until you shift the balance from drinks and

dinner to window-shopping or visiting a new art exhibit. If you do want to grab

a bite, stick to lunch--it's easier to eat light, and you probably won't order

cocktails.

WEEKEND THINK

I run around all week; now I just want to kick back

HEALTHIER SPURGE

Try a little active relaxation

Some decompressing is essential, but planting yourself on the couch for hours

can lead to trouble. A long stretch of inactivity can inspire compulsive

nibbling, especially if boredom is one of your overeating triggers, says Gullo.

And the immobility quickly adds up: Skip your regular 1-mile walk, add those

extra 222 calories you tend to eat on weekends--and that alone can equal a gain

of about 7 pounds a year! Sure, you can indulge in afternoon channel surfing,

but not all day long. Impose a time limit; 2 hours is fine. And use that extra

time to do something good for yourself, like chopping veggies for dinner that

night and snacks to take to work the next week. Also, don't forget to work

downtime into your week so you don't feel as exhausted come the weekend.

WEEKEND THINK

A predinner cocktail is par for the course

HEALTHIER SPURGE

Drink it during the meal

With fewer responsibilities and no early morning wake-up calls, even weekday

teetotalers don't think twice about a cocktail before dinner--and then another

whi/// le they eat. The problem: " Alcohol breaks down inhibitions, so it's

harder to make healthy food choices when you do sit down, " says ,

PhD, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple

University. A glass of Cabernet and a few handfuls of mixed nuts while making

dinner or waiting to be seated can add up to more than 600 calories--and that's

even before the appetizer. Instead, have the wine with your meal, and save added

calories by swapping fries for veggies or sharing the lower-cal sorbet, not the

chocolate cake. Choose high-quality drinks you'll want to savor, such as vintage

wine or single malt scotch, over high-cal fruity concoctions, and sub in one or

two club sodas with lime.

WEEKEND THINK

I'll just have one last hurrah before I start my diet on Monday

HEALTHIER SPURGE

Drop the " last supper " mindset

Healthy eating and weight loss doesn't have an on/off switch; it's a way of

life, says Dave Grotto, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic

Association. He encourages his clients to treat themselves during the week,

maybe with a light beer one night or a child's size ice cream cone another, so

they're not feeling deprived and desperate enough to polish off a half-pint of

ice cream on Friday night for 500 calories.) If you blow it, don't wait until

Monday to get back on track; start your weight loss plan at your next meal or

snack. Besides, giving yourself free rein on the weekend can reactivate negative

eating patterns that are bound to carry over into the following week, says

Gullo. Keep it up, and extra pounds are almost guaranteed.

WEEKEND THINK

Obligations throw off my usual routine

HEALTHIER SPURGE

Take control-- wherever and whenever you can

Between errands, quality time with the kids, grocery shopping, and household

chores, your weekends are often too packed to accommodate your regular

diet-and-exercise schedule. But part of developing healthy weight loss habits

for life is about adapting, says . It just takes a few adjustments: Toss a

low-cal energy bar or apple into your purse before hitting the mall so you're

not tempted by the food court; if you know you're going to be on the road all

afternoon, have a later breakfast; or if restaurant reservations aren't until

late, snack on string cheese and whole grain crackers to hold you over, and then

order lean fish or meat and vegetables for dinner. It's okay to shuffle around

meals and snacks, just don't skip them or your hunger will overpower you, says

Tallmadge, RD, author of Diet Simple. And plan active family outings

that aren't doable during the week, such as a tennis match with your spouse or a

hike with the kids. You burn

slightly more calories than you would at your 9-to-5 desk job, which helps even

out a sensible weekend splurge.

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Copyright 2007, Prevention

*~*~*~*

" What Have You Done Today To Make You Feel Proud? " -The Biggest Loser

*~*~*~*

" You can deprive the body, but the soul needs chocolate " -Sapphyre

*~*~*~*

" Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come

out from behind the clouds! Shine " .-Buddha

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" Giving Up Is NOT An Option. " - Sapphyre

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" Whoever Said 'Nothing Tastes As Good As Thin Feels' Obviously Never Had A

Jalapeno Double Cheeseburger ... " - Sapphyre

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" Don't Dig Your Grave With Your Own Knife and Fork. " - English Proverb

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" Don't borrow someone else's spectacles to view yourself with. " --Simon Travaglia

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" Sometimes these little setbacks are just what we need to take a giant step

forward ... " - Knight/Real Genius