Weekend Survival Tips

Hey all, I hope you are having a nice weekend ! Today's blog is all about trying to have a healthy weekend!

Are you someone who tries really hard to stay healthy all week, then Friday comes and it all goes downhill rapidly? Friday evening comes and you just have to have a glass or two of wine. Of course with wine then comes the hunger pangs. You start sniffing around the cupboards for some tasties, sweet, savoury, or both! Before you know it, you have sat for two hours watching tv and munching mindlessly on snacks and sipping alcohol, all the while telling yourself that you deserve a treat after your long week.
And you know what? You do deserve a treat! Our weeks are long and hard, and what is life about only working hard, but having down time and our treats also. However, a treat doesn't have to be calorie heavy food and alcohol.
Why not try, for one weekend, not to have any alcohol or calorific treats in the evening?

If you are used to having wine and treats at the weekend, it will be hard to break away from this. It will take a lot of willpower. You will be telling yourself that you deserve a glass of wine or two. You will tell youself that you deserve to take a night off from cooking and have a take away. I think we all have a little Satan on one shoulder telling us to go on, forget about calories, munch away. However, we also have a little angelic angel (named Siobhan :) )on the other shoulder telling us to avoid the wine and munchies, and go for a healthy treat instead. If you have to munch on something, why not make a small portion (tablespoon of seeds) of wholegrain popcorn made with coconut oil. Or why not make some delicious kale crisps? Or how about carrot and pepper sticks dipped in homemade hummus? There are so many healthy snacks you could choose from.
Drinks wise, have some sparkling water, or some herbal tea. I know it is nowhere near the same as having wine and pringles, but if you are genuine about losing weight and getting healthy, these are the sacrifices you will have to make.
Then, once in a while, do have your wine and small portion of "unhealthy" treats if you must. But only make this once every 6 weeks or so, and not every weekend. It is not a treat if you have it regularly.
It would be a shame if, all week you went to the gym, got your walks in, stayed healthy, only to go and undo it all at the weekend! Come Monday, you will be delighted with yourself and have an even healthier week due to the lack of hangover, sugar withdrawal symptoms, etc.

Here are some other tips to make your weekend a healthier one:

• There are so many healthy recipies online, why not use some free time at the weekend trying out a new healthy recipe?
• You should hopefully have more time at the weekend to get an extra bit of exercise in. Maybe don't have a big lie in at the weekend, instead, set your clock for the usual time you get up at during the week and get out early for your exercise. Guaranteed you will be delighted you did!
• Don't be tempted to go overboard on the junk on Sunday evening, just because you have another week of eating boring lettuce ahead of you! During the week, make your meals healthy, but they don't have to be boring! By adding herbs and spices to your meals, makes healthy meals very interesting. Why not start experimenting with some herbs and spices that you might not have used before?
• Lastly, if you really feel like a calorific treat at the weekend, and all your willpower isn't going to help, then have a treat. But make it a small treat. If you really must have chocolate, or cake etc, have some if you really can't resist it, but make it a small portion. And if it's a Friday night you are craving a treat, don't have it until Saturday night. Tell yourself you will have it the next night. Then, who knows, Saturday night might come around and you might have forgotten about it! Think about it, if you indulge on a Friday, this is only setting you up for a weekend of indulgence. However, if you hold off as long as possible, then you will have less time until Monday comes around again and you will find it easier to stay healthy. Honestly, you will be glad you did when summer comes and you will be getting wolf whistles as you walk down the street! Put in the hard work now, and reap the benefits down the line :)

Good luck!!