Don’t Fall Off The Workout Wagon Over The Weekend

So, you finally made it through the week.  You worked out all week.  You ate your protein, fruits, and veggies.  You drank plenty of water and got 8 hours of rest per night.  Now, it’s Friday night.  And, it’s time to go out and enjoy your weekend to the fullest … after all you DESERVE it.

Before you decide that enjoying it to the fullest means pigging out and watching TV all weekend or indulging in everything you missed out during the week, you might want to think twice. 

You definitely deserve a reward for your hard work and diligence during the week.  That is a very important part of motivating yourself.  But, you don’t want to ruin your progress by taking two and a half days to derail your training. 

Instead, follow these five simple tips to help you stay on the workout wagon over the weekend. 

1. Plan ahead to reward yourself.  It could be food, a night out, an extra drink at the bar, a huge helping of your best friend’s birthday cake, whatever is most motivational for that week.  If you have a plan, you have something to look forward to during the week. 

2. Enjoy that reward 100%.  You do deserve it.  However, only indulge in that reward if you were truly dedicated to your workout routine during the week.  If not, you might want to skip it.  It will be much more satisfying when you do achieve those workout goals.  

3. Limit yourself to that “cheat meal” or “cheat reward.” It’s easy to think that it’s just a piece of cake here, a beverage there, an hour of TV, but it can add up.  Before you know it, it turns into a piece of cake with a beverage while watching a marathon of your favorite TV show.   And, now it’s too dark outside to go workout so you just head to bed.  Your “reward” took up your entire day and took the place of your workout that day. 

What is your typical “cheat meal” or “cheat reward?”  Tell me below.

4. Don’t be a couch potato.  Yes, it’s nice to relax for a while at home or even read a book in a park.  However, think about jogging in between chapters or doing crunches and pushups during commercials.  You may be taking a rest day from your usual routine, but it’s smart to through in a little exercise throughout the weekend so that you don’t lose what you worked so hard to gain. 

5. Set attainable goals for yourself to accompany your reward system.  You want to make sure that your goals are challenging enough that you will have to work hard for them, but not too difficult that you will never get to enjoy your reward.  Your goals and your reward system are ways to ensure that you are motivated to achieve the level of fitness that you desire in appropriate increments.

Remember, daily habits are the foundation for your success.  Rewards function as a way to tell yourself that you did a great job. 

Leave me a comment below about your most satisfying workout week or the best reward you gave yourself?