Weekend Slacker

So you busted your butt all week long - ate right, got in a few workouts, increased your water intake and now your thrilled its the weekend because now you can:



♥ Go out and drink
♥ Splurge at the sports bar = fried food FTW!
♥ Lay around all weekend
♥ Party, party, party

Yikes. There's something about weekends that sends caution--and calories--to the wind. Even if your workweek is all about smart snacks and sensible dinners, for many of us, all bets are off come 5 PM Friday. Researchers found that participants on strict diet and exercise programs tend to lose weight more slowly than expected because they eat more on weekends than during the week.

If you’re going to splurge on the weekends, make sure you increase your activity. Remember, it’s calories in, calories out. Take advantage of your weekend time off and go outside for a walk.

Also, take steps to balance and moderate your weekend splurges by having a game plan before you dine out. For instance, when you know you’re going to have a Martini before dinner, you can plan to skip the appetizer or the dessert.

Some extra tips:

♥ Some decompressing is essential, but planting yourself on the couch for hours can lead to trouble. A long stretch of inactivity can inspire compulsive nibbling, especially if boredom is one of your overeating triggers. Also, don't forget to work downtime into your week so you don't feel as exhausted come the weekend.

♥ With fewer responsibilities and no early morning wake-up calls, even weekday teetotalers don't think twice about a cocktail before dinner--and then another while they eat. The problem: "Alcohol breaks down inhibitions, so it's harder to make healthy food choices when you do sit down," says Gary Foster, PhD, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. Choose high-quality drinks you'll want to savor, such as vintage wine or single malt scotch, over high-cal fruity concoctions, and sub in one or two club sodas with lime.