Own the Weekend!

Apr 3, 2019

Not all days are equal!

Monday ↘️
Tuesday ↘️
Wednesday ↘️
Thursday ↘️
Friday ↘️
Saturday ↗️
Sunday ↗️

This is one of the more difficult concepts for me to grasp. When I lost my weight, I was hyper focused. The weekends looked like the weekdays, at least in the tracker. As a result, the scale quickly confirmed my effort. I made goal, then lifetime.

I began to experiment with tracking, strength training, and a term I call balance. I’m looking for the perfect combination and my brain believes that a solid effort M-F can accommodate a less than ideal Saturday and Sunday. My thinking is 5 days on, two days off and since 5 > 2 it’s all going to be alright.

The data does not confirm this however. Now I don’t go crazy on the weekends, I’m still accountable to the process, but quite often it’s 2-3 larger meals over the weekend. Nothing like I used to, but none the less a great weekend. I call it balance. I’m more social and enjoying the company and social element that food provides. But as I always do, I analyze the data.

2-3 unchecked meals, can EASILY eliminate any progress that the previous 18 meals provided. It seems like an unfair ratio and that’s where many of us get stuck.

Our brain says “we’re following the plan” and we are, but with simple math, It’s about 85% effort. (Assuming the 18 are solid) Now, 85% is effective, it will move the needle in the direction you want to go. However, since the progress may be slower than the 1-2 pounds a week that WW says we can expect, we tend to give up citing a lack of progress.

Now if the 2-3 unchecked meals, turns into 3-4 by adding Friday night to the mix, then during the week there is another one here and there, you could very easily find yourself in a “plateau” that really isn’t a plateau. Mentally you’re confused because more often than not you’re “on plan” - but the data I see, after about 3 years of daily weighing, is that 85% isn’t why you joined.

Go all in. Give it 100% and see if that provides the results you’re looking for!