So many in our FastFit community say to me how well they eat during the week and then seem to blow it on the weekends. It's not surprising since I don't know of many who don't eat more on the weekends. It's natural. I was interested in what the researchers have to say about this face and found this article from Science Daily.
You can read the entire study in the link below and I'll give my thoughts on it: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140203084537.htm
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Summary: Almost everyone loses weight on weekdays and gains weight on weekends. What separates the slim from the heavy isn't how much more they gain on weekends. It's how much they lose during the weekdays. In this study, researchers look into the impact that the seven-days-a-week human cycle has on weight. (Cornell Food & Brand Lab)
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3 Takeaways:
1.) What you weigh each DAY is not as important as what you weigh each WEEK. Fluctuations in weight will occur daily for any of us. It's the week to week overall weight we should look at as a guage.
2.) Participants weighed the most on Sunday and Monday and were at their lowest on Friday.
3.) The people that were successful in losing were the ones who got back on track immediately Sunday and Monday. Those that didn't gained weight.
The Weekday Weight Loss Plan
To help you be successful, here is my personal plan for balancing your social life while also having success at getting and staying Lean!
Carbohydrate Cycling: Low-Carb Weekdays, High-Carb Weekends Model
For starters, establish Sunday – Thursday as strict days that you are "on track" and allow yourself a 24-hour window such as Friday 6pm to Saturday 6pm to take in treat meals. This is an excellent form of Carb-Cycling since you save your two higher carb days to the end of the week which fits nicely into your social schedule. Here are some points I'd like to offer up for you to be successful during the week:
1.) Establish a weekday cutoff time each night where you will consume no more calories (6 – 8pm is ideal for most)
2.) Swap a snack or meal for a liquid option such as coffee, tea or water.
3.) Limit your carb intake during these 5 days. You'll want and need to keep your protein intake the same but look at reducing your carbohydrates to just veggies and some fruit. If you find yourself struggling to maintain blood sugar level and energy add some fats such as a teaspoon of nut butter or seed oils.
4.) Try to get in at least a short 10 minute workout each day. One note, if working out during the week is a challenge look to workout each of the weekend. This also helps to offset the extra intake of food you'll be having.