How to Avoid Weekend Weight Gain

Have you ever experienced, or are you currently experiencing, FOSAW? I’m talking about Fear Of Scale After the Weekend. If we’re not careful, FOSAW can become a weekly occurrence. We often hear about how difficult it can be to manage weight in the winter. After all, we have the holidays, the heavy comfort foods and the gloomy weather that’s rarely conducive to regular exercise. But, for me personally, watching my weight in the summer is much more of a challenge. Blame it on the outdoor festivals rife with fried foods, the vacations, the numerous social gatherings or all of the above. The good news is there are things you can do to avoid FOSAW. TOPS Outreach Assistant, Alyssa McNamee, and I put together the following list of tips to keep FOSAW from setting a negative tone for the rest of your week.

• Stock your fridge and cupboards with healthy items at the beginning of the weekend. Head to the grocery store after work on a Friday or hit the farmers market on Saturday morning to load up on fresh vegetables. Instead of going out to eat on Friday or Saturday night, make a healthy (or semi-healthy) dinner with a friend.
• Do a little research ahead of time. If you’re heading to a fair, festival, or new restaurant, look online before you go to see if you can review your menu options. Many festivals typically include a list of vendors online and most restaurants make their menus available online. If you go to an event or restaurant without a plan in place, it’s too easy to grab what looks good at the time instead of choosing what you really want.
• Plan your trade-offs. We tend to eat more on the weekends and it’s okay to indulge a little. Keep your calories in check by planning certain trade-offs such as having dessert if you skip the bun and chips at a cookout, or enjoying a funnel cake at the fair as long as you log x amount of steps on your pedometer.
• Keep moving. Try to accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise on the weekend. If you have a coffee date planned with a friend, make it a walking-with-coffee date. If you’re looking for something new, consider checking out a Fitness Meetup if one is available in your area.

Don’t let FOSAW put a damper on your Monday. Mondays can be tough enough as it is. Face the scale with confidence knowing that you made the best possible choices for you.