Weekends Made For Wellness

Have you ever had a great week where you’re making healthy choices about every day? You’re eating well, cooking your own meals, getting to the gym, and then…the weekend rolls around. Ah yes, how I have a love/hate relationship with weekends. It’s easy to think of the weekend as time to enjoy yourself, away from your normal responsibilities. You’re typically not on your usual schedule, and you get the chance to relax. You have more time and you might use this to meet up with friends for a fun brunch or pizza night!

Personally, I find myself using the weekend as an excuse to not to eat as healthy as I normally would on the weekdays. There’s just something about a Friday night, after a long week, that makes me crave unhealthy foods. I often give in, telling myself that I’ve worked hard all week and one “bad” meal won’t kill me. But doing this can leave me feeling regretful come Monday that I got off track. Does this sound like you? I decided to become more away of my eating habits on the weekend, and here are my tips for unwinding, while staying on track.

Find your weekend groove

Creating a routine on the weekend may sound unappealing at first but think of it as a way to gain more control over your behaviors. Making a schedule doesn’t mean that you can’t make your favorite weekend breakfast or sleep in. However if you don’t want to give up your Saturday morning pancakes, maybe skip going out for lunch that day, or make a healthy dinner at night.

Workouts for the weekend

It’s important to include a rest day in your exercise routine, but do you choose to leave this for the weekend? Take advantage of extra time on the weekends to sign up for that workout class you’ve always wanted to try! Use a spin class to catch up with a friend instead of going out to lunch or dinner. A win-win! Not feeling a structured workout? Taking a walk with your family or going for a leisurely bike ride are good options too.

The “Chosen” Meal

Some people have trouble when they indulge in one meal or food item, they feel as if they’ve already “fallen off the wagon” so what’s the point of getting back on? This can lead to a mentality that justifies eating poorly for the rest of the weekend. To avoid this, choose one weekend meal, rather than an entire day, that you will eat your favorite thing. It may be a comforting Sunday night dinner, or a special dessert on Friday night. Whatever it is, know that it’s okay to allow yourself this treat, and this doesn’t mean that you got off track. If you plan to incorporate this into to your weekend just be conscious of what else you typically choose to eat on that day.

Who knew weekends could be fun AND healthy?!

Written by GUADS staff member Emily, with contributions from shape.com.