Monday to Friday everything goes well. Then Saturday comes with the barbecue, the pizza, the party. On Monday the scale says the week is lost, and the plan starts over from zero.
What the studies show
A study by Racette and colleagues followed adults for a year and found that they ate more on weekends, especially on Saturday. Among those who were losing weight, weight loss stopped on weekends. In other words: two days can undo the effort of five.
Why it happens
On weekends the routine disappears: we wake up later, skip meals, eat out, drink more and spend hours at the table with family and friends. None of that is wrong. The problem is when it becomes a break from the whole plan.
How to get through the weekend
- Pick one free moment: Sunday lunch or Saturday's party, not the whole weekend.
- Keep breakfast: arriving at lunch starving leads to overeating.
- Log it anyway: writing down what you ate on Saturday is what best prevents Monday's surprise.
- Move: one walk on Saturday and another on Sunday already help.
- Don't compensate on Monday: go back to your normal plan, no punishment diet.
With the holidays coming
December has a party almost every Saturday. If you learn now to enjoy it without dropping the plan, you reach New Year's lighter.
Sources
- Racette SB, Weiss EP, Schechtman KB, et al. Influence of weekend lifestyle patterns on body weight. Obesity. 2008;16(8):1826-1830.
This content is for information only and doesn't replace advice from a doctor or dietitian.
