How to Eat Right Friday Through Sunday

Weekends, by their very nature, send our diets tumbling in the wrong direction. Even if you play by the healthy rules all week, come Friday at 5, good intentions go awry in the face of restaurant meals, takeout options, and cocktail parties. And homebodies don’t avoid trouble either, since easy access to the fridge and taste-testing gourmet meals all weekend is tempting, too.

But you don’t have to forgo a good time with friends, entertaining, or your favorite restaurant to stick with a healthy diet or a weight loss plan. In fact, an occasional splurge like a piece of pie at an afternoon soirée or one roll from the bread basket may actually anchor you to your diet since you’ll feel less deprived. But every weekend can’t be an excuse to blow it, says Cynthia Sass, MPH, MA, RD, CSSD, coauthor of Flat Belly Diet. So don’t be waylaid by weekends. Instead, try these strategies for solving even the most tenacious weekend food troubles.

Parties

Never party hungry. Have a snack prior to leaving the house, even if it’s half a sandwich, a piece of fruit, or a yogurt, so you won’t be starving when you arrive. If you’re ravenous, your tendency will be to overeat. “Bring your own low-cal ‘safety dish’ like a veggie tray with roasted red pepper hummus,” says Sass. Yes, there’s a veggie tray at most parties, but it often runs out fast, and the dip may be full of fat.

And don’t park yourself by the food table, since you’ll be more likely to pick all evening without noticing how much you’re putting away. Instead, load a small plate and sit down to enjoy the few things you select rather than grazing all evening.

Entertaining

Instead of making food the star of the party, plan lots of fun nonfood activities like games that you and your guests can enjoy or a movie night. If you’re all just sitting around talking with food within arm’s reach, you’ll continue eating. Also, make it easy to stay away from the “food zone.” Keep the food on one table, not scattered about. If you have to walk across the room to get it, you probably won’t, so you’ll eat less.

Serve low-calorie but yummy foods such as fresh fruit with yogurt, cinnamon, and honey dip or air-popped popcorn misted with herb-infused oil and sprinkled with Parmesan. Party foods don’t need to taste “diet.”

And don’t start drinking on an empty stomach; your blood alcohol content will shoot up quickly, and once you’re “feeling it,” your inhibitions may drop and your hunger may rise. Then you’ll be more likely to eat foods and amounts you wouldn’t if you were sober.

Some people also sample while they cook. Be conscious of how much you’re testing while you’re in the kitchen. Later, focus the event on socializing with guests instead of just on eating and drinking. “If you’re the hostess, you have control over how many calories and fat grams are in your food,” says Victoria Shanta Retelny, RD, LD, of LivingWell Communications in Chicago. Offer guests low-fat options—vegetable crudités, dips made with nonfat sour cream, and more vegetable and bean choices. Try using less oil when cooking and other barely noticeable switch-ups. “If you substitute applesauce for oil in your banana bread, no one is likely to notice, and it might even taste better,” says Retelny.

Homebodies

This is a major danger zone because home equals comfort. If you’re in all weekend, make sure you eat meals, not just graze all day. Consume a specified breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have a snack, but keep it under 150 to 200 calories. (Buy portion-controlled snack options.) Good bets: A yogurt, a 100-calorie snack pack, fruit, or a pudding or applesauce cup. If you’re a chocoholic, allow yourself two peppermint patties.

Don’t fall into the trap of eating a big weekend breakfast and then not eating again until suppertime because, by then, you’ll be starving. Have a snack at 3 or 4 so you won’t be ravenous by dinner and overeat.

If you’re watching movies or hanging around relaxing, try to break the habit of eating while watching TV. Make a new rule to only eat at the table with no TV or distractions. “I’ve seen amazing transformations in people’s eating habits and weight with this one change,” says Sass.

Buying an item for that night’s snack is an excellent strategy for people who tend to binge. Nabbing a small sundae from the ice cream parlor or a portion-controlled bag of chips is better than storing the giant tub of ice cream or king-size bag of chips in the house and being lured to it all weekend.

Eating Out

Dining out should be enjoyed with friends or significant others, but pay attention to the menu options. If you go to the same place all the time, don’t always order the same thing. Typically, people fall into a rut: They love the veal parmesan, for example, and think they should eat that every single time. Why not look at the menu again and try the chicken or choose from the heart-healthy or low-fat sections that many restaurants now provide. Go online to view the menu and decide in advance what you’ll order. “Think of it as a budget. You can splurge on one treat (appetizer or dessert) and keep the rest light, for example, grilled fish with steamed veggies. Skip the potato or rice if you want to split a dessert after,” says Sass.

If you’re in a group, sit right next to a fellow healthy eater for added inspiration. Generally, you get two to three meals out of an entrée, especially at an Italian restaurant. Take the leftovers home or ask for a half portion.

Other tricks: Have the bread basket removed from the table after you eat one roll. You’re not denying yourself, but you’re refraining from overindulging. “The same goes for chips and salsa. Don’t just eat, eat, eat; have them taken away if you know it’s going to be a temptation,” says Retelny.

Another tip: Beverages count. If you like regular soda or alcoholic beverages, allow yourself only one to limit the amount of liquid calories you consume. If you order a Coke and it is refilled three times, you can gulp down 400 calories. Wine calories add up fast, too. A portion of wine should be 4 to 5 ounces but, more often, 7 to 8 ounces are poured into a wine glass. Every 4-ounce glass of wine has 100 calories, so if it’s doubled, that’s 200 per glass of wine. Have one glass, then drink water.

And if you know you’re going to have a big dining out experience, don’t avoid eating all day. That backfires. If you don’t eat all day, you’re likely to be starved and overeat at the restaurant. Instead, eat a regular breakfast, lunch, and a healthful snack. Eat light, perhaps three fourths of your normal breakfast and lunch portion.

Move

Lastly, don’t neglect to get moving. If you’re going to be around the house, take a walk or hop on the treadmill. Your body should be active on weekends to help offset any “weekend eating.” Consider tackling a harder-than-usual workout if you know you’ll be eating a big restaurant meal.

Of course, you can always fill your weekend with nonfood-related activities such as booking a manicure or pedicure, heading to the dog park, or shopping for antiques with a friend. Why not start healthy weekend eating off right by tackling the weekly grocery shopping on Friday night and filling your fridge with healthful foods? But never shop on an empty stomach; eat dinner first. Otherwise, you’ll buy extra items that look appealing when you’re hungry.

— Jennifer Nelson