How I Stopped my weekend Splurges
4 Strategies that helped me stop weekend overeating
I used to overeat like a boss-------Krista Scott-Dixon. Ph.D.
Truer words.... My story is very similar.
I was in it to win it. I got caught up in a crazy cycle of restricting calories during the week, along with hitting the exercise hard to burn off the prior weekend’s indulgences.
This bad habit was keeping me from my goals, in fact, I was starting to gain weight. The fun of the weekends eating, and drinking started to become a burden. I was trying to “Outrun” my fork with excessive cardio, which backfired. This set me up for weekend overeating because my body was underfed during the week. Sunday I'd start to worry about Monday, I knew the scale was going up, and I could see the bloating in my face, and stomach. I actually looked older when I woke up on Monday morning.
It was time to find a new way.
How did I finally break up with weekend overeating?
I decided to take a new approach, so I got help from a nutrition coach. I realized that I didn’t just have a weekend challenge, it was my weekdays too. I needed a fresh start, a new outlook, a way to enjoy my entire week, not just the weekends.
I wanted a healthier relationship with food, one with fewer rules, and more freedom, that would put me in charge of food, not the other way around.
Once I gained clarity about what I was doing, and how it was affecting my life, I learned how to create habits that gave me the best of both worlds.
Here are the 4 strategies that really made a difference.
Strategy #1
I stopped trying to be perfect during the week.
I see this so many times with my Coaching clients. They look for the “Perfect” diet- the magic cure. They scrimp during the week and try to “save’ up calories. There is a burden attached to this, a feeling that food is in charge, instead of you. By the time Friday rolled around, willpower is shot…. It is exhausting, I know I experienced it.
Are you game to try an experiment? In the next week, Let go of counting calories, and restrictive eating. Focus on just eating a little less than normal, eat slower, and stop when you are mildly full. These strategies have proven time and again to be the most powerful. Sometimes the most simple, obvious things, get bypassed because they seem too simple and obvious.
Pro-tip; add in a “treat” meal or snack, not a “treat” day. Build these into your week, plan on them so you are in the driver's seat. 1-2 should work. It's okay to enjoy an occasional glass of wine, a cookie, even a slice of pizza. It's a fun surprise to see your weight start to go down, once you have stopped the weekend splurging, and learn to balance out the mid-week eating.
Strategy #2
I let go of black and white thinking.
Life isn’t black and white, it is full of colors, textures, flavors, and so is food. It is a wonderful gift for us to enjoy.
When you have black and white thinking, or “food rules” you stop listening to your body’s language, and you override these messages by saying they don’t matter.
I have to cut back on carbs.
I have to exercise ………hours.
I have to avoid foods that I love, or I’ll feel guilty
I have to eat exactly on time or else.
Whew… these rules take up a lot of mental energy and they set you up for misery. Rules like this are tough to maintain, and most everyone will throw in the towel eventually.
Pro-tip: Instead, start to let go of rules and learn to tune into the messages your body is sending you. I found that once I got on a healthier eating pattern, my body naturally told me when to eat. I learned that certain foods, helped me feel more satiated, while others made me feel sluggish and bloated. It was a learning curve because I had tuned out for so long, but once I tuned in, I was rewarded with feedback that helped me create lasting habits, and a healthier body, mind, and spirit.
Strategy # 3
I stopped treating weekends differently than any other day.
I was happier during the week too!
I ate the same way I did any other day, and since I was already adding in a few of my favorite treats, I didn’t need to go overboard on the weekends.
There were no more “off limits” with this approach, no feelings of anxiety, frustrations, deprivation, or strict food rules.
Food, and I became friends again.
Strategy #4
It’s a Clean Slate every chance you eat
If you have worked with me, you will be very familiar with this saying... Precision Nutrition clean slate philosophy.
This approach allows you to start fresh with every meal, no more saying to H*@L with it, throwing the whole day down the toilet. You don’t have to punish, cajole or wrestle your way out of it, just get back to doing the best you can with eating fresh, whole foods, doing a re-set each time you eat. It’s a wonderful sense of freedom knowing you always have a fresh start, a Clean Slate.
Sometimes it just makes sense to put someone else in charge while you are learning the ropes!
You are ultimately in charge of yourself, but sometimes changing habits can be very challenging. You tried enough to know you might need guidance. It can really help to team up with someone to hold you accountable, give you support, and correct knowledge to help you make life-long changes.
Find a partner, trainer, or a coach like I did, who will hear you, help you find solutions, and keep you accountable for your goals.
Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of YOU?
Most people know that moving more, eating better, getting good sleep, and managing stress levels is important.
Yet, knowing isn’t the same as doing. Learning to apply your new habits to your personal lifestyle in a consistent manner is when the magic begins.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve used my signature program “Ditch the Diet” method to help over 100 clients lose fat, get stronger/fit, and improve the quality of their life… for the long term. Habits, not diets.
Interested in learning more? Hit the link to schedule a free strategy session... we can clarify your goals, and I promise to send you along a few tips to help you on your journey.
Sources: Krista Dixon-Scott Precision Nutrition How I quit weekend overeating.