I’m a 27-year-old female who has been through nearly every diet out there—fasting, no carb, low cal, meat-only, vegan, liquid diet, water detox, and more. For the past three months, I’ve been on a calorie deficit plan. During the weekdays, I’m consistent with my gym routine, going four times a week after work. On weekends, I usually aim to run 5km, though I often end up just resting at home.
Here’s my dilemma: my boyfriend and I love eating out on weekends. Whether it’s dining out or ordering pizza, Chinese, or sushi, weekends are often indulgent. I feel like I’m constantly restricting myself to avoid negating the progress I’ve made during the week.
Not at all. Just as two days of healthy eating won’t make you lose weight, two days of improper food won’t reverse the progress you’ve achieved.
Consider the long run. This isn’t a sprint—this is a marathon. It will take longer than you anticipate, and you will probably become impatient. Just don’t give up.
It need not be flawless, but you must strive for maximum consistency. Just make sure that two days of bad eating decisions don’t turn into three or four weeks.
I used to face the same challenge, but what worked for me was developing a flexible eating plan. On weekends, I would plan for my indulgent meals in advance and adjust my calorie intake throughout the day to make room for them.