Shaping Up: Is Your Weekend Undoing Your Week of Healthy Habits?
Do you ever reach Friday feeling like you have had a good week, only to get to Monday and feel like you are back to square one?
You have been eating better, getting out for walks and fitting in some exercise. Then the weekend arrives. Your routine changes, you have a few more treats, maybe a couple of drinks, and spend more time relaxing on the sofa.
Before you know it, Monday comes around and you feel like you need to start all over again.
If that sounds familiar, you are certainly not alone.
As a personal trainer, I see how easy it is for people to fall into this pattern. They are focused and motivated during the week, but feel that the weekend is their chance to let go completely. There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself, but it is worth thinking about whether your weekend habits are helping you reach your goals.
The answer is not to spend every weekend eating perfectly and exercising for hours. That would soon become boring, and it would be difficult to maintain.
Instead, it is about finding a balance that works for you.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is treating healthy living as something they only need to do from Monday to Friday. Your body does not work to a five day schedule. The habits you follow across the whole week matter.
That does not mean you cannot enjoy a takeaway, a meal out or a lie in. It simply means being mindful of your choices.
For example, if you know you are going out for a meal on Saturday night, enjoy it. You do not need to skip meals beforehand or spend Sunday trying to burn off what you have eaten.
Try to keep a few simple habits in place. Get outside for a walk, drink plenty of water, eat some fruit and vegetables and get enough sleep. These little things can help you feel better without taking away the enjoyment of your weekend.
It is also important to avoid the all or nothing mindset. One meal does not ruin your progress, just as one workout will not transform your fitness overnight.
The problem often starts when we decide we have ruined everything, so we might as well carry on making choices that leave us feeling worse. Then Monday arrives and we promise ourselves that this week will be different.
You do not need to keep repeating that cycle.
Instead of trying to be perfect during the week and switching off at the weekend, aim for habits you can maintain every day. Some days will be better than others, and that is completely normal.
Healthy living should leave room for birthdays, meals with friends, family time and the occasional lazy Sunday.
The goal is not to have a perfect weekend. It is to enjoy yourself while still looking after your health.
Your weekend should be part of your healthy lifestyle, not something you need to recover from every Monday.
RECIPE
Sticky Honey and Soy Salmon Bowls
A quick, tasty meal that feels like a treat but is easy to make at home. The sweet and savoury sauce gives the salmon plenty of flavour, and you can add whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 salmon fillets 150g basmati rice 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp honey 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp olive oil 1 carrot, grated ½ cucumber, sliced 100g frozen edamame beans or peas 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional
Method
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Add the edamame beans or peas for the final 3 minutes, then drain.
Mix the soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger in a small bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the salmon for around 4 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until cooked through.
Pour the sauce into the pan during the final 2 minutes and spoon it over the salmon until sticky and glossy.
Divide the rice between two bowls. Add the grated carrot and cucumber, then top with the salmon and any remaining sauce.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like and serve.
WORKOUT
10-Minute Workout: The Weekend Reset
Enjoying your weekend does not mean putting your fitness on hold. This quick workout is a simple way to get moving, raise your heart rate and fit a little activity into your day without spending hours exercising.
Complete the following exercises in order, using the listed repetitions. Aim to finish three rounds in 10 minutes, taking short breaks whenever you need them.
The workout
15 step jacks
12 dumbbell deadlifts
10 alternating step back lunges
12 dumbbell bent over rows
20 standing knee raises, alternating sides
I always advise a light warm up before you start and a good stretch afterwards.
Work at a pace that suits your fitness level and use lighter weights or easier variations if needed.