Hi everyone--

I could use some advice about how to plan for better/healthier eating on the weekends. My weekdays are generally pretty structured--work, kids, house stuff, etc. Then on the weekends I sleep later (well, as a mom I count 8 a.m. as getting to sleep in!), I do make it to the gym but I don't plan out the meals as specifically. I have run into trouble by waiting too long between meals and then overeating.

How do you guys handle the weekends? Any advice appreciated.

My eating 'plan' generally goes as follows:

Breakfast - 350 calories - 7am
Snack1 - 100 calories - 10:30am
Lunch - 300 calories - 1pm
Snack2 - 200 calories - 3:30pm
Dinner - 250 calories - 6pm

Mind you, that's a bare minimum at 1200 calories. It allows for some 'wiggle room' which I usually take advantage of at lunch or snacks. I go to school full-time, and I follow this seven days a week (it pretty much works around my class schedule). I find that by not having to plan out every meal, but still keeping in mind that I want to eat lots of protein, and few carbs (even fewer after lunch), it's easy to eat a variety of different things at different places if I have to.

Personally, by following this 'plan' and not adding more than 300 calories to it, I'm never hungry nor do I feel deprived. Also, if I'm hungry between, say, Snack1 and Lunch, I don't feel bad about having an apple or a piece of toast.

I'm with you--the weekends are my worst!! I like to blame it on my husband, but he wants no part in the blame. lol

I'm interested in reading these responses!!

Elana--I'll try my best to e-mail you tonight or tomorrow. Sorry--I've been SWAMPED!!

Weekends KILL my efforts. My problem is I am a planner. I want to know Friday morning if I am eating out Sunday night. Dh is NOT NOT NOT a planner. When I do well on weekends what seems to work for me is planning. Knowing where I will be when, b/c weekends we are on the run. Knowing what my plans are on Sunday lets me avoid or enjoy that second peice of pizza on Friday. Also, having snacks and foods that fit my plan in the house on weekends. This is hard for me b/c weekends are grocery shopping days and so we're in short supply of everything. Also, weekends when I stay on plan I tend to prepare meals for me seperatley for lunch and breakfast. I often tend to eat on mys chedule, feed the kids as close to thier normal and let DH fend for himself. If I wait for him we don't eat lunch until like 4 pm on Saturday, everyone is tired hungrya dn we all tend to over indulge on quick junky stuff.

I am really interested to see how folks handle the weekends.