I’ve always found that the weekends are the hardest time to stay motivated to lose weight, especially when just beginning a new way of eating. It’s the end of the week, you want to relax, and, unfortunately, in your mind that might equate to “relaxing” your eating and exercise routine. If you do this, you might find yourself unable to get back on track with your healthy habits when Monday rolls around. Those processed foods can really hook you back in quickly, and once you’re eating them, it’s hard to stop; at least that’s been my experience.
Whether you are following the Six Week Body Makeover, or another way of eating and exercising, here are 3 ways of action that have worked for me to maintain my motivation and momentum over the weekend:
1. Be prepared. No matter which plan of eating you are following, whether the 6WBMO like I am doing, your own recipes and healthy cooking, or something else, being prepared is the key to your success. You must be prepared with healthy meals on hand that can either be eaten cold or simple heated up. If you don’t have those healthy options, it is far too easy to reach for the quick fix of ready-made processed food, especially when you are hungry.
What has worked for me is portioning out my meals for the next day the evening prior. The next day, all I have to do is go to the frig. I’ve found that having them pre-portioned the night before is very important also, since it saves me having to take that extra step the next day when I’m ready to eat.
2. Have your cooler ready to go. The weekends are often times for running errands and doing shopping. You must have that cooler ready and waiting so that you can pack up your pre-portioned meals in it. Make sure the night before that you have your ice packs in the freezer, and bottles of water in the frig.
Before you leave the house on Saturday or Sunday, pack your cooler with your water and meals for as long as you plan to be gone, plus one or two hours. You don’t want to be caught hungry with no healthy options on hand. As long as you have your cooler, there is no excuse to stray into that drive through lane! 😉
3. Stick to the same schedule as a week day, or as close as possible. When you can stick with the same sleeping and waking schedule as a weekday, you’ll find it much easier to maintain your regular eating and exercise schedule. Instead, if you sleep very late, you might find yourself feeling off balance, behind schedule, and unmotivated to stick with it.
You won’t always keep the same schedule as a weekday (it is the weekend after all!), however I’ve found that the closer I can match the weekday schedule on the weekend, the easier it is for me to stay on track. It simply gives me more structure, instead of the feeling that it’s a free for all since it’s the weekend, and therefore anything goes.
If I take the “anything goes” route, again, it’s just hard for me to maintain a healthy, regular lifestyle. Not to mention, I end up feeling poorly physically. I end up with a hangover, and I don’t mean from alcohol, but from processed, sugared food!
As I mentioned above, these are 3 ways that have been the most helpful for me to maintain my motivation over the weekend while following the Six Week Body Makeover way of living, eating, and exercising. I think that you could still use them no matter what your healthy lifestyle path is, since they are general enough to be adapted. 😉
