Set Yourself Up For Success This Long Weekend!

With the long weekend just around the corner we understand that it can have everyone feeling nervous given the unknown and the thought of a few temptations potentially arising. As an Equalutioner however, stresses and food anxieties are a thing of the past! We pride ourselves on being able to have your cake and eat it too. We believe in dieting smarter, not harder and above all practicing flexibility. Which means with the upcoming long weekend we’re going to make this work!

So from us here at the Equalution HQ here’s some tips that will set you up for success this weekend!

Tip #1: Don’t Write the Whole Weekend Off!
Even just a single or few days ‘off’ can impact your results, so we encourage you to stay as committed as you can this weekend. Often socialising and eating out can be put in the ‘too hard’ basket and as a result binge/cheat and blow out days occur… however, as an Equalutioner you’re fully equipped with the tools to stay on track and not go balls to the wall and blow out. A bad Saturday doesn’t need to mean a bad Sunday and Monday as well. Simply incorporate a fun meal/alcohol etc into your intake goals for the day but don’t let yourself slip into a mindset of ‘the day doesn’t count’ and eating/drinking till illness.

Tip #2: Pre-Plan!
To make sure the weekend isn’t a write off pre plan. Whether this is tracking your day, meal prepping or stocking up on macro friendly snacks – take baby steps to ensure the weekend isn’t a fail. If dining out, we suggest having a look at the restaurant’s menu and consider the dine out meal you are going to have. Usually this will not be as high in protein as your usual meal and also probably far more calories than what you usually have in a single sitting. Other events like social BBQs for instance where you may not know what you’ll be having – can be planned for using the same strategy. Save a generous calorie allowance at the beginning of the day and ensure your other meals are low calorie and high protein – think omelettes, yoghurts, protein bars etc! HOT TIP: Don’t forget to account for oil, if your dish is shining bright like a diamond, factor in at least a tablespoon (120 calories) and to save on this ask for your meal dry grilled – no butter, no oil.

Tip #3: Self Track!
The Equalution App is your pocket nutrition coach giving you accountability and the tools to be able to continue on your journey with the flexibility to cater to lifestyle changes! How you’re tracking for the day is generally better understood once you have self-tracked the whole day so input all your food in your food diary and see how many calories you’ve gone under or over and which macros you’re falling short of and adjust accordingly. Making each meal balanced and not dominant in one particular macro will help. When self-tracking, the rule of thumb is to always stay within your calories 40 calories over/under is fine but no more or less. You should not go over your calories in attempt to chase your macronutrients. You should always meet the protein and fibre requirements set out for you, fats should account for between 20-30% of your daily goals the remainder will be made up by carbs – so the macros don’t need to be to the gram daily, you should instead aim for the percentages we’ve set out for you. Remember you don’t have to be perfect, at the very least save a generous calorie allowance for social consumption.

Tip #4: Rethink Your Drink
For a lot of people, any long weekend isn’t complete without a couple of alcoholic beverages, and guess what? Your wish is our command! But not all drinks are created equal! So what’s the BEST option? Vodka and some other spirits or hard liqueurs and a diet soft drink is usually the lowest calorie option, cocktails are very high. Our favourite drinks to recommend are:

– Vodka/Diet soda (65 calories)

– Standard Wine (125 calories a glass)

– Jack and Diet Coke (75 calories a glass)

– Pure blonde (105 calories a bottle)

– Hahn super dry (120 calories a bottle)

Again, it is really important to pre-plan your day with your estimated alcoholic beverage intake prior. As alcohol does not have any protein, try and focus on making the rest of your day high protein in order to get as close to your protein goal as possible.

Tip #5: Drink your water!
We know you probably have heard it from us before, but there is a reason why water is so important. Not enough water can cause your body to hold fluids and as a result water retention can lead to an increase on the scales and overall make you feel a little puffy. The rule of thumb is 1L per 20kgs of body weight, if you’re under this intake by a considerable amount daily you could be running the risk of dehydration effects which means your body is holding onto water. Stay hydrated over the long weekend, it will also help keep your appetite in check and keep you cool on what we hope will be a nice hot summer’s day! Especially if you’re dining out or drinking these are red flags in retaining fluid, so let’s aim to hit those water goals!

Tip #6: Snack Smarter & Bring A Plate
If attending a BBQ, picnic or social drinks this long weekend you can always offer to bring a plate of food – the beauty of doing this is that you can make it macro friendly and it will allow you to pre plan it in your day. This also ensures you are in control of your own intake as best you can be! Some of our favourite ideas for a picnic would be Tzatziki and veggie sticks or crackers, Lite Tasty Cheese and Crackers, lean cuts of meat to put on the BBQ yourself, pre-portioned snacks such as individual bags of the Cobs popcorn and bars, or our classic macro-friendly pavlovas. Really, the beauty of pre-planning you can incorporate whatever snacks you would like!

Tip #7: Get Your Friends & Family Involved
You don’t have to be in this alone! So many of our meals are family friendly. Having friends over? Why not cook them up some of Equalution’s favourite meals such a home-made pizzas, home-made burgers, tacos or burritos or in your spread keep yourself and goals in mind and throw some macro friendly options in the mix? Not only is it delicious food that everyone can enjoy, but you are also able to keep your goals in mind stress free!

Tip #8: Remember to Enjoy Yourself & If You Over-Enjoy Yourself Bounce Back
So, if things don’t quite go according to plan this long weekend and you indulge more than expected. What is important is to not let it derail the remainder of the week. Refocus, remember your goals and the reasons for starting and get right back on track. Don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t let guilty feelings get in the way of smashing your goals!