[LuvSunshine]

I find I have been good during the week, but my weekend is a different story. I enjoy eating out with my famiy and having wine (bottle) with my husband. I kill what I did during the week with what I'm doing over the weekend. I enjoy my family and husband time. How do you make it work? What's the secret? How do you handle your willpower? You all seem to be so much stronger!

[ANewCreation]

I feel for you! I do alot of different things to make my weekends more successful.

I will go online and see if I can find a nutrition count for the restaurant we'd like visit. I will decide before hand what I'm going to order, and I often only eat half of what I order. Dh and I often share a meal or I take home leftovers. If it's a high calorie splurge then I will eat light for my other meals, but that doesn't happen too often. I drink only water and rarely have sweets. But, on occasion, we will frequent a restaurant that serves 'mini' versions and even then we split it.

I'm counting calories so that really helps me make good decisions. I only have so many calories in one day so when they're gone, they're gone! Planning really makes a difference for me. I write every calories down and account for it in a little notebook.

My husband is completely on board with me. He has started to eat better and says he feels more healthy. I realize not everyone has that kind of support so I'm the first to say it makes what I do so much easier!

Plan for fun, it will help you stay on track and you can still have some fun! Even a glass of wine (maybe not splitting a bottle with the hubby ) can be on plan.

Enjoy!

[LuvSunshine]

Thank you for your response. I must plan my evenings out better. It was spontaneous and I went ALL out. I'm not going to let that night get me back in my weight gaining rut. I'm dusting myself off and getting myself back on the horse. Thanks again.

[Bombe]

I have a really hard time with weekends and my main problem is eating out (or ordering in) with friends. I've made a new rule for myself that helps and that is to do that for only one meal over the weekend.

I make sure to eat before I go to a friend's house that way if they're all ordering pizza I can say "no thanks I already ate." If they are going out for dinner or something I just meet up with them later.

When I do go (since I do allow myself one meal out for the weekend) I often order an appetizer for my meal to cut down on the portion size. I've tried "only eating half" of my entree but that never works for me, if it's there I can't seem to stop myself! Or sometimes I will get a broth based soup and a side salad as my meal. I've learned to avoid the large size salads that most restaurants offer for dinner because they tend to have TONS of calories and fat! The side salad is really the only safe one IMO because it doesn't have all the add-ons and the big size. California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Crunch Salad has 2115 calories! (Here's an interesting link to a Yahoo Health article on the best and worst salad choices from popular restaurants LINK)

[ANewCreation]

Originally Posted by LuvSunshine

Thank you for your response. I must plan my evenings out better. It was spontaneous and I went ALL out. I'm not going to let that night get me back in my weight gaining rut. I'm dusting myself off and getting myself back on the horse. Thanks again.

Yay for you!!!! Good attitude! Planning is the key! It looks different for all of us, but you will find something that works for you. You can do it!

[dragonwoman64]

Originally Posted by Bombe

I have a really hard time with weekends and my main problem is eating out (or ordering in) with friends. I've made a new rule for myself that helps and that is to do that for only one meal over the weekend.

ditto here. I have the same general plan to keep it to ONE meal over the weekend (I do have popcorn on Friday nights too). another thing I try to do is to keep the caloric damage down when I'm having that one meal. It's not always easy, I tend to see restaurants as a treat. I figure it's something I'm going to have to deal with for the rest of my life, making good choices at restaurants. When I eat out, I tend to eat out for lunch then have a smaller dinner.