We’ve all said it, “I ate way too much this weekend,” “I was so bad this weekend,” “Tomorrow,I’m officially going on a diet.” We’ve all felt that Monday morning bulge, maybe some of us more often than others.

The weekend can be detrimental to your nutritional goals. However, there are ways to indulge in some weekend fun and not feel guilty, heavy, bloated, and regretful Monday morning!

Weekend Sweets

If your sweet tooth tends to get the best of you over the weekend, before heading someplace with lots of sugary options, have a filling snack such as a veggie patty with low-fat or soy cheese, veggies and hummus, or a handful of nuts. Then, indulge without over-indulging. Split the movie sweets, have a single scoop of ice cream in a wafer cone at the theme park, or pick just one or two of the most delicious-looking and smelling small items from the dessert tray at the party. Then, slowly enjoy every bite appreciating all the different flavors. Then, stop. It’s that simple!

Brunch Without the Bulge

Merging breakfast and lunch on a Sunday afternoon can mean consuming about 600-700 additional calories! Brunch smartly and skip the super sweet options such as pancakes or waffles, which can have nearly a days worth of calories. Instead, splurge on eggs Benedict. The egg is poached so there are no hidden additional calories from cooking oil, Canadian bacon has nearly half the amount of fat as normal bacon, and an English muffin actual has less calories than two slices of wheat toast. Just make sure you got the hollandaise sauce on the side and then don’t use more than two tablespoons.

Dining Out Without Dieting Disasters

Focus on portions. If you are craving a succulent steak, order a petit filet with steamed veggies and half a baked potato. If you go for Mexican, enjoy 2-3 chips with guacamole and two fish tacos. If it’s Japanese food, enjoy a small bowl of edamame as you please then savor 10 pieces of sushi. Better yet, order a sashimi salad with the dressing on the side. Then drizzle on one or two tablespoons.

Drinking Do’s

Drinking alcohol is not only empty calories, it may also cause your body to store more fat around your middle. This weekend, pace your drinking with a flute of Champagne or Prosecco (90 calories). Bubbly drinks take longer to finish. Recent studies have also shown that loud music can actually make you drink more because conversations become minimal. Instead of hitting the bar, hit the dance floor!

‘Drunchies’

A night of drinking can increase your appetite. Indulging in fast food or decadent desserts at 2am is definitely a no-no. Your body burns calories less efficiently during sleeping. However, you can give in to your late night desires so long as you control your portions. Stock up with low-cal pre-portioned versions of food you crave after drinking such as Lean Cuisine Personal Pizzas or Skinny Cow Ice Cream Bars.

 

-Emily Freeman