Reviewed by Dietitian Karen Ansel, M.S., RDN
Credit: Getty Images. EatingWell Design.
Key Points
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Weekend habits, like cooking less, eating out more and sleeping in, can cause weight gain.
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To stay on track, dietitians say make a weekend eating plan and eat at regular times.
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They also recommend staying active and getting regular sleep.
Weekdays have structure and routines, like going to work, hitting the gym and eating at fairly consistent times. Weekends, on the other hand, are more go with the flow. That can mean sleeping in, eating out more, having a few extra cocktails and possibly skipping meals altogether. Of course, it’s important to have downtime and enjoy your social life, but some weekend habits might be hindering your weight loss without you even realizing it.
The good news is you don’t have to skip Sunday brunch or drinks with friends in order to lose weight. We asked dietitians to share which under-the-radar weekend habits are most likely to interfere with weight loss. Here are their five top offenders, plus realistic changes you can make to reach your goals and enjoy your days off.
1. Eating Most Meals Out
One restaurant meal won’t make or break your weight loss efforts, but eating multiple meals out over the weekend might. Research has found that eating dinner out can add an extra 390 calories to your day compared to eating a meal cooked at home. “Restaurant meals tend to be higher in calories, sodium, and fat content compared to meals prepared at home,” says Jordan Langhough, RD, CPT.“Even if you’re making generally balanced choices, differences in portion size, ingredients and cooking methods can add up over the course of the weekend.”
That might not sound so bad, but between Friday night and Sunday night, there are seven meals. That’s one third of your meals for the week. Trying to eat a few of those meals at home can go a long way in keeping portion sizes and calories in check.
2. Overlooking the Impact of Drinks
Let’s say you have an iced latte with breakfast, a mid-afternoon smoothie while running errands and a cocktail with dinner. That might not sound so bad, but depending on the size, it could add 500 to 850 calories to your day., , “It’s easy to take in several hundred extra calories without feeling noticeably fuller,” says Langhough. “Overindulging in liquid calories can sabotage your weight loss goals because they still add [extra] calories to your overall day.”
This doesn’t mean you have to stick to water all weekend. But trade-offs can help. For instance, if you really love a fruit smoothie, by all means, have it. Then modify or skip the others, like having an iced coffee instead of an iced latte at breakfast or skipping booze at brunch.
3. Taking a Break From Meal Planning
Meal planning is a fantastic tool for weight loss. Yet, as helpful as it is, many people plan their meals Monday through Thursday but skip it over the weekend, says Melissa Mitri, M.S., RD. We get it. Maybe you’re tired after a busy week, or you have plans to eat out with friends. “But failing to plan for two to three days of the week can make it easier to fall out of healthy habits,” says Mitri. That may lead to last-minute decisions that don’t align with your goals.
Fortunately, you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen prepping complicated recipes. If you’ll be eating out, simply looking at the menu before you go out to eat or having a high-protein snack in the afternoon to tide you over until dinner can set you up for success.
4. Trying to Make Up For Lost Sleep
Weekends are for catching up on sleep, right? Not so fast. If you’re sleeping in to make up for insufficient or erratic sleep during the week, it could backfire. In fact, one study found that for every hour of weekend catch-up sleep volunteers reported, their odds of obesity increased by 3%.
This doesn’t mean you can’t sleep in. But a better goal is to try to get the sleep you need during the week, especially since lack of sleep may blunt the weight-loss benefits of healthy eating and exercise. Skimping on sleep leads to a phenomenon that scientists call “social jetlag.” This mismatch between our biological clocks and external schedules has been shown to hinder weight loss. Irregular sleep and lack of sleep are linked to more body fat, higher waist circumference, insulin resistance and chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.,
One way erratic sleep may hinder weight loss could be by disrupting hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, says Langhough. “This can lead to increased cravings and less stable eating patterns the following day,” she explains. To support overall energy balance and metabolic health, try to maintain a relatively consistent sleep and wake routine even on weekends, she says.
5. Ditching Your Food Journal
Tracking what you eat is one of the most effective weight-loss tools out there. As helpful as it is, many people tend to skip it over the weekend. “A recent weight management trial showed a significant reduction in self-monitoring from Thursday to Sunday, coincided with a significant increase in calorie intake on these same days,” says Mitri. “Getting out of a calorie deficit for four out of the seven days in a week like this can hinder and slow down the weight loss process.” If you’re too busy having fun to record everything you eat, at least try to write down some of it. Every little bit helps!
Habits That Help With Weight Loss:
Weekends don’t have to work against you. These expert-approved strategies can keep you on track all weekend long.
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Make a Plan. “Don’t just leave weekends up to chance,” says Mitri. Plan your meals and movement for those days as well, she suggests. That way, if you’re going out to eat, you can opt for a meal that fits your health goals, rather than winging it, she says.
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Start the Day with a Balanced Breakfast. The first meal of the day sets the tone for the rest of the day. “Aim to include protein, fiber and healthy fats in the morning to help regulate blood sugar, energy levels and keep you satisfied longer, which can also reduce the likelihood of cravings or overeating later in the day,” says Langhough. Craving waffles at brunch? Split them with a friend, then add a side of eggs for protein and some fruit for fiber.
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Eat Regularly Throughout the Day. Skipping breakfast or lunch may seem like a good strategy, but research shows this can work against you., The reason? “Waiting too long to eat can make you feel hangry and starved which can make it harder to make balanced choices or recognize fullness cues,” says Langhough. Stick to a schedule of breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner. It will help maintain steady energy levels and keep your appetite in check.
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Stay Active. “Staying active on weekends, especially in the morning before you start your day, can keep the momentum going and keep you mindful of your eating habits for the rest of the day,” says Mitri. Plus, the more days you take off, the harder it is to get back on track. And if the weekends are the only days you can fit in a workout, do it! One study found that weekend warriors, who worked out one to two days per week, had less body fat and were less prone to obesity than people who weren’t active.
Our Expert Take
Weekends are less structured than weekdays. While that can be good in some ways, under-the-radar weekend habits, like cooking less, eating out more and sleeping in can stall your weight loss. But they don’t have to. To keep weight loss going strong, nutrition experts recommend keeping your meal times and sleep schedule as consistent as possible every day, whether it’s during the week or on the weekend. When the weekend rolls around, start the day with a balanced breakfast, eat at regular intervals and stay active. If things still don’t go as planned, that’s okay. Just get right back on track at your next meal. Because, in the end, every day counts, not just Monday through Friday.
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