Weekends are tough when it comes to eating clean, there is no doubt about it! You work way too hard at losing weight and staying in control to let the weekend blow your diet. Stay on track — and still have fun — with these smart-eating tips for avoiding cravings and overeating in social situations.

1) Have a game plan.

You have worked hard all week eating clean and exercising. Once you loosen the reins, it's easy to lose control. You will erase all the work you did during the week in two days if you over eat.

2) Friday afternoon drinks:

Don’t do it! You're in the mood to unwind, but the more you drink, the more you snack. Alcohol makes you hungry because it lowers your blood sugar. Drinking alcohol lifts your inhibitions, so you'll eat just about anything. Go to the gym instead.

3)Dinner out with Friends or your Spouse: Make sure the people you surround yourself with support what you are doing. Be honest with them and tell them up front that you are trying to eat cleaner and lead a healthier lifestyle. Tell them that you need their support. If they don’t support you or they sabotage you than you should not be around them right now. Sad but true.

4) Going to a dinner Party:

Being a guest at someone’s house can be really difficult when you are trying to eat clean. You have no choice over the menu UNLESS you offer to bring a healthy dish. Don’t arrive ravenous, this will set you up for failure and you will most likely over eat. If there is nothing but lasagna, bread, cakes, cookies etc. than this is when you will use “The Plate Method” or use the chart below as a guide for measuring your food. Portion control is everything. Fill up on salad (hopefully they will offer a salad) and then portions are key to your success! Avoid the cake, cookies or any dessert.

5) Staying up too late:

You ate your Dinner at 6:30 pm, now it is 11:00 pm and you are still awake. Suddenly you are starving. Make sure you choose a protein source if you must have a snack. Protein is a better choice because it doesn’t have the insulin response like Carbohydrates do. Too much insulin in your body can cause your body to store fat. A healthy protein source would be 3 ounces of chicken or Turkey, 1/2 of a cup of low-fat plain greek yogurt, hard boiled egg and chocolate protein ice cream. You can also just go to sleep and not eat.

6) Avoid Sunday brunch. The calories add up fast! Sitting around a table while drinking coffee and chatting is great for building relationships but you must stay in control…order eggs and fruit.

7) Sunday is Meal Prep Day: On Saturday, look on the internet for healthy, clean recipes, make a list of ingredients, go shopping so Sunday becomes your meal prep day. Instead of going out to brunch, workout, clean your house and start prepping your food for the week. Buy some small containers so you can store the food you make in individual containers so it is easily accessible after a long day at work. No excuses. Just do it.

8) It is a Mental Game:

Have you ever told yourself any of these?

“I worked hard all week, I don’t need to work out”
“It’s the weekend, calories don’t count”
“After all my dedication this week, I deserve a break”
“Sundays are for brunch and mimosas”
This is the type of thinking that leads to weekend indulgence. In the end, it’s all about your mindset. Of course we all know to eat healthy and exercise, but we let ourselves start thinking like this, and we slip up!
How to fix it: don’t use food/exercise as punishment and reward.
Try to get out of the mindset of “rewarding” a hard working week with food.
Or “punishing” a bad weekend with extra weekday workouts.
Instead, after a week of strong dedication, reward yourself with a manicure, a massage, guilt free Netflix watching.
When you exercise, think about how your lungs are getting stronger, you’re getting faster, and your muscles are becoming more efficient. Exercise for health, not punishment.
9) Getting things done in the Morning:
“You Win the Morning, You Win the Day,” “Morning routines are incredibly powerful.” 2 quotes by Ben Bergeron. If you develop a morning routine and get things done in the morning than the day won’t get away from you. If it does then you can feel good about what you have already accomplished. Some examples are read, workout, make a healthy breakfast, meditate, have a positive conversation with your spouse or loved one. Set yourself up for Success for the day.

10) Create New Healthy Habits:

If the hours of 4-6 pm are difficult for you and you are at home tempted by snacking than go for a walk, change your routine, walk your dogs, exercise, take a yoga class, get a manicure. Recognize the times of day that you feel weak and change your routine. Its up to you, no one can do it for you! Always remember a healthy mindset is the most important thing. If you do give in to temptations….don’t beat yourself up and get back on track the next day!

3-2-1 GO!

10 Tips on how to "Weekend Proof" your Diet

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