Avoiding Weekend Weight Gain

Weekend outings and revelry can be very drastic for your body, all the drinking on Friday night, the partying, the Saturday night dinners and gorging on junk food while watching movie and finally the Sunday lunch blast at home with family. You are on a weight gain ride!

Even if you religiously hit your gym and follow innumerable diet plans from Monday through Friday, but eat whole heartedly on the weekend, on an average, you may gain nine pounds a year, says a study by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. The study was published in the journal 'Obesity'. Here are some handy tips to avoid weekend weight gain.

 

Right Start to the Day

On the weekend, you have ample time to prepare a healthy breakfast instead of going for canned foods. To keep weekend weight gain at bay, it is of prime importance to start your day out right with a healthy breakfast. Moreover, if you eat a healthy breakfast, you take less food during the day.

Skipping Meals

If you skip your lunch to have a lavish dinner, keep in mind that such “saving up” plan usually backfires as you end up eating more than your normal intake. If you have plans to dine out, do not miss the lunch of the day instead eat less during lunch or eat light food. This way you can cut the intake of additional calories while also enjoying sumptuous food when going out. Famishing yourself can be a blow to your metabolism making you more prone to weekend weight gain.

Don’t Overeat

Overindulgence in food is the main factor behind weekend weight gain. Don’t unnecessarily force yourself to binge. Enjoy the experience of eating out rather than falling prey to impulsive eating.  Dinning out is a fun and opportunity to be with friends and family and enjoy time together and relax.

Plan Ahead

Restaurants offer plethora of food choices, tempting you to order a variety of dishes and end up gorging on them. To avoid such a situation, plan your order before you go out. By knowing what you can eat you will make sure that you are avoiding all the extra fat.

A ‘Soupy’ Start

Start your dinner with a soup or salad and order the rest of the entrée afterwards. There are strong chances that after finishing up your soup or salad, you’ll order less than you would’ve if you had given the order at once.

One Drink a Day

If you have the habit of treating yourself with alcohol, sodas or sweetened juices every weekend, be cautious about their consumption. These beverages are calorie-rich and high on sugar. Cutting one or two servings of drinks will reduce your weekend calorie intake by 150 to 200 calories, which is good enough for weight management.  If you are a soda lover, limit your consumption and opt for water instead. Soda not only adds pounds to your weight, but also induces hunger.

 

While following the aforementioned tips, also pay attention to portion management and dessert intake. Follow these tips to prevent weight gain to lead a healthy life.

 

Image source:Getty

 

 

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