We've all been there. Saturday kicks off with a large triple shot latte and a side of cinnamon scrolls so we think; "screw it! Diet starts Monday!" Then we proceed to rampage through the next two days eating enough calories to feed a small army.
Now, I'm all about a relaxed approach to eating on the weekend BUT there is a huge difference between choosing to order the pancakes and saying 'screw it, throw me that bag of peanut m&ms and three Marsbars'.
I know there's a difference because the latter is what I used to do every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was a war in my head and the outcome was a serious binge for three days of the week and deprivation for the other four.
Total self destruction!!
I made it my mission to divide and conquer the supermarket on a Friday night then I inhaled every bit of "bad" food in the house before Monday rolled around.
Ever eaten everything in your pantry? I have!
So, why do we do it? What is it about the human psyche that makes us self destructive in this way? Is it deprivation from Monday to Thursday that causes a complete sugar meltdown on the weekend or does the act of succumbing to a chocolate bar make us feel as though we have failed?
I've had my fair share of unhealthy eating habits and body image disorders but I've learned the best way to keep a healthy attitude towards food is to ease up on the self hate.
You are not failing if you eat the piece of cake, you are not failing if you put on two kilos, you are not failing if you order the pancakes. Unless you're in training for a bikini comp then there is no competition for you to fail.
What's the point of eating a piece of cake then feeling guilty for the whole day? Was that 30 seconds of indulgence worth it for a day of mental torture? Probably not. So either eat the cake and be okay with it or don't eat the cake.
Whatever you decide, make the choice and let it go. You have not ruined everything!
My average weekend calorie count is at least half of what it used to be because I've lost the "all or nothing" attitude. Now I might choose to make eggs for brekky on a Saturday because I feel like eating eggs whereas when I was on a "must eat everything because it's the weekend and I've ruined my diet anyway" rampage, I would have to buy something 'naughty' for breakfast, lunch and dinner as if it was my last chance to eat sugar and carbs ever again!
Change your attitude towards food this weekend. Allow yourself to order the french toast if you feel like it but make it a choice. Don't get caught up in the "screw it" attitude where you end up ordering the whole menu because there's no point stopping now.
We live in a country where food is in abundance so shift your mindset and ask yourself if you really want it or if you are just eating for the sake of it. Trust me, it makes all the difference and you'll feel soooooooooo much better for it (and a little less bloated).
Here's to ordering the cake and being okay with it,
Alyssa x x