Happy Tuesday, Everyone!
As I went to Scale Junkie‘s blog to check in on the Healthy You Challenge, I was struck by she’d written:
My goal for this week is to NOT dwell on the past, but to live in the present, while being mindful of future needs.
Not dwelling, living in the here and now, and keeping the future in mind is exactly what I’ve been thinking about for a couple of days now. Specifically in terms of my eating program.
I’ve been doing fantastic on the high protein/low carb plan (Premier Nutrition shakes and bars + Lean and Green dinner) during the week, but on the weekends I’m struggling. This past weekend I stayed within my calorie goals, but I ate lots of junk. Too many carbs, too much processed food, or just food that doesn’t have a lot of nutritional value. (TOM was here). It’s like I see the weekend as a free-for-all, and it has to stop. It’s like a mini yo-yo diet every single week, and while some might say it’s good because it keeps my body guessing, it’s not worth the mental anguish of seeing the scale go back and forth.
The simple solution would be to eat the way I do during the week all the time. I’d be sure to lose weight, a fact that MyFitnessPal confirmed on Monday night after I’d entered in my daily totals food, water, and exercise:
(I should mention that I burned 600 calories on the elliptical at the gym and then 183 more taking Sofi for a walk, which is more than a normal weekday).
Which means that I’d be 5 lbs from my pre-op goal weight by October 17th. It’s SOOOOO tempting for me to just stick with the bars/shakes/lean & green every day until I get to that weight. I’m really torn about what to do.
- On the one hand, I know that it would be difficult to have any sort of a social life if I stuck to the b/s/lg every single day (although I could go out for the lean and green meal). Eating so restrictively might also send me into binge mode, which would set me back. Then again, knowing that it’s only for 5-6 more weeks would really keep me going.
- On the other hand, I can’t keep going down during the week (while I’m strict) and up on the weekend (while I’m indulging)every week, otherwise I’m just spinning my wheels.
- Maybe there’s a third option that would still get me to the goal fairly quickly. Maybe I can forget the 1200/1500 weekend days and just follow Phase 2 of SBD on the weekends. By which I mean, eating plenty of healthy, whole foods, and eating grains, but limiting them to one meal a day.
I have to be honest, a HUGE part of me is just leaning to #1. Since I am an all or nothing type of person, the b/s/lg works for me. I know what I can have and what I can’t have. And I can stick to it pretty well. It’s when I start eating more carby grains that I get into trouble – eating carbs makes me want to eat more carbs. So true!
Give my situation and my goal, what would you do – #1, #2, or #3?
Bella on the Beach 
If it were me, I’d allow for one indulgence on the weekend. I meal where you have what you’ve been wanting and then keep the rest on track, maybe make Friday and Monday 1200 days and let yourself have a bit more on a Saturday and/or Sunday? Maybe follow SB but be mindful of the calories because they can get out of hand fast, heaven knows I’ve been there. Good luck! I know you’re going to keep doing great!
I think three sounds like the best option!
I once tried to eat healthy during the week, and give myself a little break on the weekend. I would end up gaining half the weight I had lost during the week, even though I didn’t completely indulge myself. It was frustrating. Now I allow myself to have one off meal during the week. That way if the hubs and I want to go on a date, or friends want to go on a double date, I can use my off meal, and still have a social life 😉 It seems to work for me.
I’d go with #1 or #3 🙂
Wow, this is a tough one… I don’t know if I could venture an educated guess…
What am I thinking, tho… Is that perhaps there are a couple things happening on the weekend…
1) Obviously your schedule changes from the work week schedule to more free time… And this could be helping trigger the free for all… If there was a way to structure your weekend more, not sure how, but maybe plan certain times to go to the gym, certain times to eat, just try to make your weekends more scheduled, that might help?
2) I’m wondering if there is something that you shakes/bars/lean green meals isn’t giving your body, and thus that is why you are having such cravings on the weekend? Just a thought, but sometimes the body knows it’s not getting something, and will let you know, VERY LOUDLY, with cravings…
Not sure how helpful that is, just some thoughts 🙂 You’ll get to your goal, just gotta find what works for you!
OK, tough love time. Why does the plan need to completely change on the weekends? The change allows for more feeling of freedom on the weekend right? And we both know that freedom is what leads us to go completely off track on the weekends.
What if you kept the weekends the same (bars/shakes and lean & green) but allowed for a single indulgent meal. That would allow you to head out to brunch with LC or girlfriends, Sunday dinner at your parents, or lunch even. The lean and green meal is easy to do out, so you wouldn’t HAVE to limit your social interactions. One meal wont throw you off course, it’s 2 days of freedom that do.
(This is so one of those do as I say not as I do sorts of things!)
You are absolutely right! I was talking to LC about this on Monday night and she completely agreed with you. And I know it’s what’s best for me to just lose this damn weight and qualify. It’s not for life, it’s just for now. And I CAN do it.
I went online last night and ordered some Medifast snacks, just to add some variety while keeping things low carb/high protein.
There are so many opportunities for triggers to derail us…or to keep us sane! I go into the weekends trying to look back on the week behind me: were there particular stressors? Was I thrown off balance by things out of my control? Did I throw *myself* off balance? Am I upset/angry/frustrated by something? I can’t approach every weekend the same. Sometimes I’m coming in off of a great week where work has been productive, I’ve worked out well, and I’m a chipper ball o’sunshine and spinach. Other weeks? I’ve tried my best, but I’m grouchy and off-kilter. I try (and sometimes fail) to acknowledge the differences and go into the weekend with that knowledge. If you have any pointers on how to deal with the weekends that start on the latter side (beyond my tried-and-true approach of “Pop Chips + Fage + salsa”) I’d love to hear them!
I think changing the way you eat for the entire weekend is a mistake. It’s “easy” to bounce back from one indulgent meal…but every indulgence after that makes it harder and harder to get back on track. What do you want more – to eat what you want/go out with friends/indulge? Or to lose the weight? It’s not *always* that clear-cut a choice, but often it is. I say try one meal a week where you indulge RESPONSIBLY (i.e., have dessert OR have 2 glasses of wine OR have some carbs, but not all three!) and stick to the plan the rest of the time.
You’re absolutely right. Thanks for weighing in, pun intended. 🙂