Calories Count on Saturdays and Sundays, too

Come Friday, I'm almost always ready to for some fun - a reward for surviving the work week.  And on Saturdays, my brain goes into 'weekend' mode - time for more fun.  While I've long given up what used to be my Friday night reward - out for untold numbers of beers and then giving into the munchies - I still struggle with weekend thinking.

My partner and I make Saturday nights "Date Night" and he always cooks a fantastic meal for me.  He uses real food - no imitation anything.  Butter, cream, sugar, oil, sour cream, etc.  If the recipe calls for it he uses it without thinking there may be a substitution that will work just as well.  He's a food purist this way.   Last night's dinner was steak (filet mignon), twice-baked potato, salad, bread, and wine.  And I enjoyed every bit of it.   Too much of it.  Especially the wine.  Why?  Because I caved and had a pre-dinner cocktail.  That led to another pre-dinner cocktail.  I was hungry and the booze hit  me and my brain got a bit fuzzy.  So when it came time to eat dinner, while I asked myself the "Don't Go Hungry" questions, I ignored the answers.  And I ignored my stomach telling me it was full.   I honestly think had I waited until after dinner to start drinking the booze, I would have heeded my body better. 

On MyFoodDiary.com, I'm the host of a support group for staying the weight management course on the weekends.  I quite often feel like a fraud.  This morning is one of those times. I didn't have a plan for making sure I didn't over-eat.  I had all sorts of goals for this weekend - and have met most of them.  But I didn't think about how to handle the booze.  Didn't make it a consideration, even though I know that if I get fuzzy, I tend to ignore my body's signals.

I'm not beating myself up.  I'm taking the lesson with me.  And next weekend - I'll stick to hot tea before dinner.  

Weekends count.  When I started the group, there was a response that really gave me pause: 

"Do you stop wearing your seatbelt on the weekends?"    

Our weight management plan is our seatbelt.  And while the plan may allow for some indulgences, totally ignoring it is like not wearing our seatbelt.   I feel safer with my seatbelt on - so next weekend, my plan will include a strategy for managing the booze.