Happy Friday!!
Talking with the other Lose the Freshman 15 girls, we have found it our biggest challenge to be “good” during the weekend. I don’t know how many times I am 110% motivated come Monday morning, but come Thursday night, going out to dinner with friends or having a “treat” seems more attractive than a workout. If this sounds anything like you, this is your wake up call.
We cannot skip out on weekend workouts and healthy eating. If you do that, that is three days out of the week. Three days out of the week is 12 days out of a month – THAT IS HALF OF THE MONTH! That can translate to not only a stall in weight loss, but weight gain. Yikes. I am so guilty of this it isn’t even funny, so trust me, I know how hard it is.
Action plan: First and foremost, workout first thing in the morning, so you set the tone to the rest of your day. If you already skipped your Friday workout because Thirsty Thursday got the best of you, schedule a walk with a friend this evening. Also, make working out a social event! This can be uncomfortable, because it is much easier to fall into the same routine. So, if going on a bike ride with friends feels weird and uncomfortable – that is good. Change is uncomfortable. I have to keep reminding myself of this.
Here is what I’m doing this weekend to hold myself accountable:
- Friday: 3 mile run (done!!)
- Saturday: Go Hiking with friends
- Sunday: Leg + Ab workout from here + something fun (intramural soccer game, hiking, bike ride)
So, workouts are great. But let’s be real. A 3-mile run burns only 300 calories. Great. A ½ cup of Ben and Jerry’s (like, two bites) has 370 calories…….ya I cried.
Eating has to be on par more than anything. Since I am following SELF’s Drop 10, I can have 200 “happy calories”. What does 200 calories looks like? If you’re going out, that looks like a glass and a half of red wine, two vodka shots, or if you’re craving something sweet, ½ cup of low-fat ice cream, with berries on top.
Since going out with friends is a huge part of a collegeittes life, I have a few musts:
- Stick to only 2 drinks MAX
- Have a vodka soda with lime – only has 100 calories per drink
- Alternate between a drink and a club soda – this way people won’t ask what you’re drinking, so no peer pressure to take shots ;)
- STAY AWAY FROM MIXED DRINKS
- Chat it up – going out should be about socializing, not getting drunk
So, more than anything, weekends are what really can make our break our healthy lifestyle! Commit to yourself today to make the healthier choices this weekend, and all weekends. If you go out, and your friends are judging your choices, saying “you’re not fun” or “it won’t hurt you,” try explaining to them how important this is to you. If that doesn’t work, then I would re-evaluate your friendships. I am so blessed with amazing friends who are so supportive. But that has taken work over the years! At the end of the day, this is your life. You will feel awesome come Monday morning knowing you can control your choices on the weekend. You will wake up Monday morning feel fresh, lighter, and guilt free! You can do this, promise! Change is uncomfortable. So push yourself now, and get a little uncomfortable.
xo,
Hayley