Everyone knows the holidays can sabotage your weight loss efforts, especially the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
But if you’re not losing as much weight as you expect during the rest of the year, maybe you should take a look at what you’re doing on the weekends.
A new study from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that most dieters stop losing weight on the weekends and many exercisers may actually gain weight then.
It All Started With Rats And Calorie Restriction…
Earlier studies have shown that rats live longer on calorie restricted diets. So these researchers designed a new study to see if the same thing would work with humans.
Forty-eight overweight or healthy weight adults from 50 to 60 years old took part in the study. None were obese.
But there was one problem that occurred when comparing humans to rats.
Rats Don’t Have Weekends…
A rat’s lifestyle is the same no matter what day it is. But we humans change our lifestyles significantly on the weekends.
We have sporting events, parties, and other social events where we eat, eat, eat…
All of which can sabotage your weight loss efforts.
How The Study Worked…
The researchers divided the study participants into 3 groups:
1. The Dieters reduced their daily calories by 20%…
2. The Exercisers increased their daily exercise by 20%…
3. The Control Group didn’t change their diet or exercise habits…
They all kept track of their food intake and exercise for one year. They were also weighed regularly.
Before the study began, the participants ate the most calories on Saturday. They each would’ve gained about 9 pounds a year before they changed their dieting and exercise habits.
But There Was A Surprise After The Study Began…
The pattern stayed the same.
The Dieters ate more on Saturday while The Exercisers consumed more on both Saturday and Sunday. So The Dieters stopped losing weight on the weekends and The Exercisers actually gained weight on the weekends.
The researchers concluded that these weekend eating patterns explain why most dieters don’t drop as many pounds as they expect to.
Here Are 3 Steps You Can Take To Overcome The Problem…
The researchers recommend these 3 steps to overcome the weekend weight loss pitfall:
1. Weigh yourself everyday.
This will help you to become aware of your weight loss and gain patterns which is especially important on the weekends.
2. Pay attention to your portion sizes.
You can still eat on the weekends, but make sure you do so in moderation.
3. Plan ahead.
For example, pack healthy snacks before you go to sporting events or eat a light snack before you go to a party so you’re not starving when you get there.
With a little planning and awareness, you can beat the weekend weight loss pitfall and get your weight loss back on track.
