“During the work week I do really well with my diet. But, on the weekends my schedule isn’t routine so my diet goes to shit.”

I hear this a lot and I relate with it because I feel this way almost every single week!

By Friday I’m always ready to relax and have a little fun. Plus, I worked my ass off all week! I got in all my workouts and I hit my calorie and macro goals all week. I deserve to loosen up!

Almost every single fun weekend activity I can think of includes mountains of high calorie food.

Think about it.

Camping = Hot Dogs, Potato Chips, S’mores, Trail Mix, Soda Pop, and Beer

Movie Night (in or out) = Butter-Drowned Popcorn, King Sized Candy Bars, and Soda Pop

Going “Out” (to a bar) = A River of Martinis, Cabernet, and Shots of Tequila followed by Biscuits and Gravy at a local diner at 1am

Going Out to Dinner = Three separate meals in the span of two hours! Spud Skins, A 12oz+ Ribeye with a loaded baked potato, and a skillet cookie topped with ice cream. Don’t forget about the river of alcohol or soda you’ll probably wash it all down with!

Sporting Events = Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Nachos, Steak Fingers, Corn Dogs Soda, and Beer

ATV Riding = *See Camping Food

Amusement Parks = **See Sporting Events

I think you understand.

So, how do I combat weekend overeating?

1.) Macro and/or Calorie Hoarding.

2.) Using CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).

3.) Fuck It. (I go ahead and overeat. Sometimes it’s planned, sometimes it’s not.)

These are the ways I’ve been dealing with overeating for about the last 8 years. I feel like I get better at controlling my food intake every year.

I will probably always struggle, and never attain a perfect balance with food. But, I get closer to “food zen” the more I practice it.

I try to plan for overeating. Right now I’m in the process of trying to lose fat. My goal is 1-2 lbs. per week.

To lose 1 to 2 lbs. of fat in 1 week I need to be in a deficit of 3500 to 7000 calories per week.

I prefer to get at least 1/2, if not more, of my deficit from exercise. My weekly goal is to burn at least 500 calories per day through exercise (that adds up to 3500 calories or 1 lb. for the week). I use a MyZone tracker to keep track of my calories burned during exercise.

The rest of my calorie deficit comes from my food intake. Last time I had my RMR (resting metabolic rate) tested it was at 2232 calories per day. For 7 days that would add up to 15,624 calories. So, if I want to lose 2 lbs. per week another 3500 calories needs to come from my diet.

15,624 calories – 3500 calories = 12,124 calories

12,124 calories/7 days = 1732 calories per day

Therefore, if I consumed 1732 calories per day and burned another 500 calories per day through exercise. I could potentially lose 2 lbs. of fat per week. But, what if I know I’m going to eat more on the weekend because I know I’m going to go out to eat, or to the movies, or whatever?

{Note: There are a million ways to manipulate your numbers to fit your lifestyle. Which is why I prefer calorie counting as opposed to a diet that restricts certain foods.}

Let’s say I’m going to the movie on Saturday and I want to eat popcorn (I can easily eat a large popcorn, with melted butter, by myself.).  Popcorn = ~1000 calories

And Sunday, I want to go to breakfast with my family and I want pancakes! 3 pancakes + syrup = ~700 calories.

That put’s me at ~1700 calories over budget! And, I don’t want to sacrifice that 2 lb. fat loss!

Here’s your math:

If you want to lose your 1 lb. of fat, by manipulating your calorie intake, then you can’t go over 12,124 calories for the week, right.

So, let’s take that 12,124 and subtract out the 1700 we want to eat on Saturday and Sunday.

12,124 calories – 1700 calories = 10,424 calories for the week

10,424 calories/7 days = 1489 calories per day.

So, Monday through Friday I would eat 1489 calories/day. Saturday I would eat 1489 for for the day + 1000 for popcorn. And Sunday I would eat 1489 calories for the day + 700 for pancakes.

So,

(1489 x 5) + (1489 + 1000) + (1489 + 700) = 12,123 calories for the week.

and

15,624 calories (my weekly RMR) – 12,124 calories (the amount I actually consumed) = a 3500 deficit (or 1 lb. of fat loss)

I’m basically stealing calories from my weekdays to eat on my weekends. Simple, right!

You can also calorie hoard on a daily basis (instead of weekly). If you know you’re going out to dinner you could eat a couple of super small meals in the day and save the bulk of your calories for your dinner out.

That’s just one of a million different examples. You could workout more and eat more. You could workout less and eat less. You could workout more and eat less (for faster fat loss). You could workout less and eat more (for slower fat loss). Just know that if you are in a calorie deficit you should lose fat, period!

Now that I’ve covered Macro and Calorie Hoarding. Let’s move on to CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).

{Disclaimer: I’m not a Psychologist. But, I do live with one. And, I’ve been under the care of a Psychologist plenty of times throughout my life so far.}

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is basically incorporating various Psychological techniques to modify negative or harmful emotions, behaviors, and thoughts.

Maybe, I want to lose fat, and I want to stick to the same amount of calories every day. I don’t want to modify my calories. But, I know I’m going to have weekend cravings because I’ll be less busy and have have full access to my refrigerator for 48 hours straight.

Here are some methods to help you stick to your goals.

1.) Planning, Planning, Planning!!!!!

Don’t just prep meals for the weekdays. Prep for the weekends as well.

Prep. things you can take out with you to wherever you go. (Rice Cakes, 100 calorie nut packs, protein bars (low calorie), raw veggies, etc…)

If you know that you’re going to the movies on Saturday afternoon, and you don’t have the calories to spare for popcorn. Eat a small meal before you go and sip on a huge zero calorie beverage at the theater.

If you know you’re going to go out to breakfast Sunday morning. Go online the night before and check their menu for a low calorie breakfast option. Make sure you choose your meal ahead of time. Don’t peruse the menu! Don’t give yourself options! This way you can still enjoy a meal out with your family and stay within your daily calorie goal at the same time.

2.) The 10 minute rule.

Say you go out to breakfast with your family. You get the “low calorie” spinach and egg white omelette. You scarf it down and your kids still have plates full of fluffy pancakes swimming in maple syrup (Cause they eat sooooo……. slow…….., and you know they’ll never finish them cause they never ever do!) You still feel hungry and think, “I’ll just have one of their pancakes. I’ll track it and eat a little less later.”

Before you do that, set a timer (on your phone) for 10 minutes. Wait the full 10 minutes! If you’re still hungry take 1 to 2 bites. Set your timer again for 10 minutes. Wait the full 10 minutes! If you’re still hungry go ahead and have 1 pancake (track it).

If you still want more after eating the pancake. Get up and take a walk around the restaurant (outside). or re-direct yourself by scrolling through your favorite fitness inspired Instagram account!

3.) Go to Bed. (Read in bed.)

If it’s the weekend and you’re used to staying up late (watching movies, etc….) plan a late night snack into your calories.

If, after you eat that, you still want to eat snacks just go to bed! You need more sleep anyway! And, there’s no rule about going to bed early on a weekend! If you can’t sleep right away. Read in bed. That’s a favorite non-food activity of mine!

It’s the weekend again! It was a long hard stressful week! You’ve followed your diet to the tee for the last 6 weeks! The kids were sick all week. You got reprimanded for something at work that wasn’t your fault. Over the last 6 weeks you’ve planned, calorie manipulated, calorie hoarded, used your CBT, and you’ve had enough of all of it! You need a break! Take 24 hours and just say “fuck it”!

Eat whatever the fuck you want for 24 hours! And, don’t track it! Monday morning you’re back on track 100%!!! Never, ever, more than 24 hours!!!

I don’t do the “Fuck It” on a regular basis. Maybe quarterly now. But, I do do it! And, I don’t feel the least bit bad about it!!!

That’s it.

Take, leave, and/or criticize this advice.

It may not work for you.

But, some of it just might.

If you have any questions you can comment here on this post or, better yet, on Facebook Messenger, or in a post comment. I check Facebook and Instagram daily.