9 Ways to Keep Your Training & Diet from Derailing This Weekend

It's a familiar scene: You make good food choices, avoid temptations, and work out every morning only to find that on Friday night, your willpower goes out the window. Suddenly, you're chompin' chicken fingers and snoozing through spin class the next morning.

Weekends can be a challenge to health, weight-loss, and training goals. What makes them so difficult? It may be the absence of routine. On weekdays, we get up, eat breakfast (if you don't, tsk tsk! Make a quick & healthy smoothie), head to work, break for lunch, then find ways to squeeze in a little exercise. Without a set schedule on the weekends (and with more opportunities for temptation) one weekend can easily undo a whole week of healthy habits.

It doesn't have to be this way. Weekends are a great time to practice healthy behaviors because you often have more time. Give these tips a try so you can stay on track!

1. Squeeze in a longer workout. The best part of the weekend is that you have more free time. Try a longer run at a beautiful park nearby, or a new hour-long class at the gym. Use the weekend as a time to refresh your workout and get more activity in without feeling rushed.

2. Eat like it's a weekday. If your food choices during the week keep you fueled and energized, why change your habits on the weekend? Keep the schedule going but savor the extra time you have to sit down and enjoy your meals.

3. Stick to your usual sleep schedule. Are you someone who has a firm bedtime during the week only to stay up late and sleep in on the weekends? Changing your sleep patterns could throw off your schedule (hard to eat breakfast when you get up at noon!). Get to sleep at a reasonable time no matter the day! Your body will thank you.



4. Get outdoors. (A personal favorite- did you know June is National Get Outdoors Month?) Most of us spend all week inside working, so the weekend provides an opportunity to get outside, see the sun and connect with nature. Studies show that people are happier when they spend time outside, so make sure to schedule some play time!

5. Limit your drinks. While many of us forgo the soda (and for those that drink, alcohol) during the week, we loosen up over the weekend. Just remember that the calories in beverages can add up quickly if you're not careful. Just because you were "good" during the week doesn't mean it's alright to overdo it on the weekends.

6. Plan for relaxation. Many times our chores and errands spill into the weekend, making it hard to find time to relax. To counter this, plan some downtime for at least an hour or two on the weekend and enjoy a hobby, see a movie, or even meditate. Do something every weekend that recharges you.

7. Break the on-again, off-again diet mentality. The weekend is not a time to rebel or "cheat" on your diet and/or exercise and training plan. Remember that being at a healthy weight is about sustainable healthy lifestyle changes, not just a diet and exercise plan that you can maintain Monday through Friday.

8. Weigh in Monday morning. If you need extra help being accountable over the weekend, schedule your weekly weigh-in for Monday morning. Knowing that you'll step on the scale at the start of the week can help you to stay accountable and be more aware of your weekend choices.

9. Plan for the week ahead. Why stop at the weekend? Use extra time to continue to set yourself up for success. Take a Sunday afternoon hit the grocery store, clean your workout clothes, and pack your gym bag. Monday morning comes early- you'll thank yourself!

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Have any additional tips for staying on track during the weekends? Do any of these work for you? Let me know in the comments!