Living for the Weekend

For most of us, the weekend is our time to relax and unwind from the long week at work we've just had. It gives us a bit more free time to indulge in some foods and particularly alcohol that we don't usually have during the working week.

Unfortunately however, a weekend of eating junk and drinking copious amounts of alcohol can completely undo all of the hard work and effort of eating healthy and training hard during the week.

But don't fear just yet, I'm not saying you have to stay in the house all week long eating chicken salads to get in great shape.

Rather than avoiding all social eating and drinking occasions, simply following these simple guidelines can help keep your weight-loss on target whilst still getting to enjoy your weekend socialising.

Know your going out for food and/or drinks on the evening? Follow our 6 point plan for keeping on track when you go out to eat or drink.

# 1: Load Up on the Veggies

Vegetables, especially cruciferous green veg like lettuce, kale, broccoli, spinach etc are all great for our health due to the fact they are packed full of micro-nutrients and anti-oxidants.

More than that though, they are really great at keeping us feeling satiated (full) for longer due to their high fibre and water content. Loading up on veggies and some protein earlier in the day (you'll find out in #2 why protein is awesome at keeping hunger at bay) is a great way to keep your calories lower earlier in the day, which means you have more calories 'banked' for pizza and beer later on in the day.

Who said you have to give up your favourite foods to lose weight?

#2 : Protein Power

Protein is the most satiating macro-nutrient (it keeps you full for the longest) and has the largest thermic effect of all 3 macronutrients. This makes high protein foods especially useful for creating 'bank' of calories earlier in the day without making yourself crazy hungry.

Including a higher protein snack before going out for a meal can also help manage your appetite before going to the pub or restaurant and significantly reduces your chances of ordering both those mains you have your eye on (saving your waistline and your wallet).

Loading up on protein and veg earlier in the day means you can go out, relax and enjoy a few drinks and some good food without cancelling out the last week of dieting you've done.

#3: Go Low on Carbs and Fats

If you're making room for drinks and food in the evening, there needs to be a bit of a sacrifice coming in somewhere. Having a bacon sandwich for breakfast, fish and chips for lunch and a pizza and drinks in the evening can quite easily cancel out 5 days of eating healthy and losing weight during the week.

Dropping fats and carbs during the day and focusing on protein and vegetables is often best during the day to keep you full, allowing you to eat more carbohydrates and fats (the best tasting foods) in the evening when you want to enjoy yourself more.

#4: Move

I'm a big fan of doing some form of exercise each day and the weekends are no exception. This doesn't mean you have to bust a gut in the gym, but going for a walk or a cycle, even getting dragged round the shops for an afternoon can add a considerable amount to your energy expenditure.

I think this is almost more important the following day, especially if you've had a few too many drinks the night before as staying indoors all day can often just lead to overeating.

#5: Stay Hydrated

Hydration levels have been shown to influence hunger and appetite.. Even a 1-2% level of dehydration can lead to over eating due to an increase in appetite. Keeping hydration levels up is also a really good idea when alcohol is involved, as although a liquid, alcohol is a diuretic and has a net dehydrating effect on the body.

Keep drinking water throughout the day, and if alcohol is involved is large quantities, drinking a pint or 2 of water with a pinch of salt prior to bed can help start the re-hydration process. Although I can't promise that you won't get a hangover, it certainly wont be anywhere near as bad as the alternative.

#6: Damage Limitation

Alcohol in itself packs a lot of calories, however it isn't necessarily the calories in alcohol which can be an issue. Because alcohol lowers our inhibitions and relaxes our dietary choices, it's not the alcohol which is the cause for concern, but rather our dietary choices after drinking which is the main culprit for weight gain or at least a stall in weight loss.

Whether that's the free buffet at the event or the take-away on the way home, it's a good idea to refrain from indulging in these if you want to see weight loss progress.

Know you have a tendency to overeat after a few drinks? Plan a protein packed snack for arriving home to avoid the post-booze binge and keep yourself on track.