It’s Friday morning and you’re sitting in your cubicle daydreaming about happy hour. By that night you and your coworkers have thrown down a few greasy appetizers and an unknown amount of cocktails. Before you know it it is Saturday. You sleep in, skip the gym and meet friends for brunch (where of course there will be unlimited drinks). You consider canceling your dinner and a movie plans, but show up anyway. Then comes Sunday Fun Day. You get your praise on that morning and vow to take a nap (before or after a really large meal…maybe both). And as you prepare for yet another work week, you also lament over all your poor choices the last three days. “No big deal, I will start tomorrow,” you say. If you can relate to this narrative (52 times a year) then it is time to stop letting your weekends wreck your diet…

Happier Happy Hour One of the main reasons people overindulge at happy hour is that they are trying to eat/drink away the previous week’s woes. So before you swap your flats for stilettos, check in with whatever is ailing you and devise a plan for how to avoid similar future stress. Clearing your mind will allow you to make better choices at the bar and ultimately be much more present.

Run Your Errands Before you head out the door map out all your errands. Then, attach a “fit” element to each. Maybe you walk to the cleaners, take the stairs at Macy’s instead of the elevator or escalator, or either pack your lunch instead of eating out. I literally “run my errands” all the time, and nothing feels better than getting a good burn, knocking out my to do list, and saving time.

Prep For Brunch So, brunch is at 2pm. You woke up at 10am. 1) If available, check out the menu online. 2) Eat something small before you head out. Based on what I choose I usually snack on the opposite. For instance if I know I am going to have the french toast (sweet) at brunch, I will have a hard boiled egg or egg white omelet at home (savory). That way I don’t show up to brunch starving and tempted to drink the maple syrup. And lastly, 3) Remind yourself that unlimited drinks doesn’t have to mean drink until your drunk. Enjoy a couple drinks, your meal, and most importantly your company.

Date Night Done Right Movie nights are the best, but they can also be the worst for your diet if you aren’t careful. Movie theater popcorn washed down with a large soda can instantly put back the 1,000 calories (or more) that you worked so hard to burn off at the gym during the week. Instead pack your own snacks (shhh I wont tell), or skip the snacks all together.

Don’t Sleep Too Deep Sometimes nothing makes me happier than falling to sleep knowing that my alarm clock will not be the first sound I hear in the morning. And I know I am not alone. However I also know that sleeping in too late (more that 1-2 hours longer than normal) can throw your schedule off in a tremendous way. You wake up late, miss breakfast, starve until lunch, binge at dinner and snack until bedtime. Combat this deep sleep mental haze by eating as soon as you wake up or by setting your alarm 2 hours later than usual.