During the week, most of us fall into a regular routine. Whether it’s work-driven or motivated by our kid’s schedules, most tend to do a much better job of staying on track with our health during the week. We make strides in our fitness, we make pretty good choices with our eating…
And then the weekend comes.
For some, it’s no big deal. But for others, those extra “free time” hours or bonus activities somehow can get us off track. If we’re not careful, a careless weekend (regularly, as a rule), can even undo what we worked hard to accomplish during the week.
So how do we make sure our weekend doesn’t end up being a weak end? Here are my 5 top tips:
Get outdoors.
Being inside typically leads to less activity. If you can get outside, even if it’s just in your yard playing with your kids, you’ll ensure extra steps in your day. Feel free to add in an extra traditional workout if that’s what you prefer to do on the weekends, but don’t feel pressure. Just enjoying His creation + time with our families is enough to make sure we stay moving.
Rest + Relax.
Make time to relax. Our weeks typically keep us on the go, and the only way we can ensure we’re ready to do it all again next week without feeling burned out is by taking some extra recharge time. Whether that means a bubble bath, an afternoon nap, or just taking time to paint your toenails, squeeze some relaxation time into your weekend.
Also, aim to get in bed at a reasonable hour as often as possible. We often justify staying up later since “it’s the weekend,” but especially if you have young kids, you probably find yourself getting up as early as your normally do on weekdays. We still require the same amount of sleep on the weekends, and the last thing we need is to begin our week already exhausted.
Indulge once, not always.
I’m not one for restriction…but if we eat like calories don’t count on the weekend, we’ll find ourselves sabotaging our results…but more importantly, we’ll find ourselves feeling sluggish and even sick if we have more treats than our bodies are used to. One splurge won’t hurt you, but multiple indulgences will add up to more consequences than extra calories alone.
Get ahead for next week.
Hopefully, the weekends provide a little more freedom in your schedule. Use a little time to plan ahead. On the weekends, I like to plan our family meals, grocery shop, and prep whatever I can in advance as soon as I get home. (It’s amazing how much more likely we are to eat fruits and vegetables when they’re already washed + cut!)
I also schedule my workouts for the next week. I’m much more likely to do what has made it on my calendar, rather than leaving it to chance.
Keep Sunday special.
You know I couldn’t do a post on the weekend without keeping the main thing the main thing. ;) I absolutely treasure our Sundays, worshipping with other believers and getting a fresh word from the Lord through our pastor. His Word instructs us not to neglect meeting together (Hebrews 10:25). We need community, and we need to stick together. The encouragement and love we get from one another is always my favorite kick start to each week.
What about you? How do you stay consistent on the weekends?
