I was reading through the Athletarian's blog recently, in which she posted a campaign by Vega called #onechange. It describes different snacking habits that ruin your diet and make it impossible to reach your goal. I am most definitely the Weekend Splurger.
Vega suggests that:
Your best healthy-eating intentions crumble without the structure of Monday to Friday. By Sunday night, you feel like you need a weekend to recover from your weekend. Between late nights, sleeping in, social outings with friends, and catching up after a busy week, it seems impossible to eat right. Monday is your day to reset the dial
That is me, to a T! Its so frustrating. I do so well during the week, and then I get to Friday and things fall apart. When I was laying in bed last night, I decided that this habit needed to change. It seriously has to go, because I have so many other goals that I want to accomplish as compared to imbibing and eating cheese dips. Vega suggests that my #onechange should be eating before I head out, so that I don't eat when I'm with friends. I've actually tried that strategy before and it doesn't work. I think I eat because I can be so awkward in social situations, that I turn to food as something to do, and drinks to loosen me up. Sigh... I think I'm going to need to work on that.
Moving forward, I'm making up a shopping list today and calling it quits on the gross feeling weekends. I headed over to Skinnytaste in order to dig up a few recipes to start me off this week. You can officially call this a rebirth, because things are going to change from here on out. I'm tired of this feeling.
This is probably the most important part for all of us, because in order to get there, we need to make lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, they can come at price as they might impact your social life, relationships, and friendships. But for me..I think the most important part is to make sure that I feel my best, work towards my goals, and make my life look like the one that I want.
How do I get there?
1. Make a commitment to the Saturday morning long run.
No more excuses, Lauren. You've never had a Friday night out that's replaced the way you feel after a good long run.
2. Look for social events that incorporate health and wellness.
I think the only way you can make a change, is if you surround yourself with the lifestyle you want. Instead of turning a long day of drinking into an event, maybe we could suggest hiking, biking, snowshoeing, etc., to do on our lovely weekend days off.
3. Plan ahead for weekend meals like I do during the workweek.
The only way I've been successful with my eating during the week, is when I have an eating plan in place. I typically make a big casserole or a slowcooker recipe that I eat throughout the workweek, so that I don't have to cook when life gets busy. I need to set myself up for success on Fridays as well. I'm wondering if I force myself to go to the gym after work and then have fun planning a healthy dinner for Chris and I, or for friends. I need to learn how to make my own kitchen fun.
4. Learn how to say "NO".
The simplest strategy is just learning to say no to a drink, when I don't actually feel like drinking or putting down the chips and dip after my first round. Believe it or not, there is still pressure to drink and eat at the age of 30, but I need to be ok with saying no. I won't deprive myself, but I don't want to indulge Friday and Saturday each week. Just remember how you woke up feeling this morning.
It STARTS TODAY.
Let's chat:
Do any of you have stories of how you changed your lifestyle to meet your goals? Were you met with success and support, or frustration and disappointment?
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