Fixes for your weekend health blunders

The weekend is here! After a full week of productivity it’s easy to go a little crazy. Hey, you want to have fun before Monday hits. That’s fair. Sometimes though, Friday to Sunday can be an overload of unhealthy decisions, ones that will impact your running. Here are your solutions to make the weekend easier on your body.

The late night

It’s fair to go out on a Friday or Saturday night. Most runners who are up for the Sunday long run already know the dangers of Saturday night partying and how it can wreck a run. The long run is a training plan staple and to compromise it is a major bummer. And worse, you can spend a whole day recovering. That’s just a waste.

Your fix: Either limit yourself to going out once on the weekend or suggest a more tame activity that will have you home earlier.

The dinner out

Runners are known for fueling right and paying attention to nutrition. Restaurant food is delicious but is often unhealthy and packed with extra sodium and calories. That’s a disappointment after you took such great care Monday to Friday.

Your fix: Suggest a potluck where everyone brings a dish. Home cooking is generally healthier and you can pick and choose what to put on the plate.

The grocery store cravings

The weekend is a great time to get chores like groceries done. Oftentimes though, it’s easy to cave to temptations and throw bad-for-you food into the cart.

Your fix: There are a lot of fixes for this. Make a list and stick to it. The stick-to-the-perimeter rule is a good one. If you go shopping with only a certain amount of time, you’re less likely to linger in the aisles and frozen dinner sections.

The marathon of chores

You have two days to get that basket of all your running clothes clean. Then you want to do errands and general house cleaning. But too much can leave you a little exhausted for your running and you can end up skipping it. Plus, not allowing yourself downtime can lead to mental exhaustion. That also makes you run slow. 

Your fix: Try to do the easier chores before the weekend and allot a certain amount of time so you don’t get carried away.

The high-calorie drinks

You’ve gone out for post-run beers with friends after back-to-back intervals. Or maybe you went to have a cocktail to celebrate the weekend. All of a sudden you’ve consumed more calories and sugar than a day’s worth of meals.

Your fix: Order something that has less of the bad stuff. Think wine or vodka water. Better yet, invite some pals over and mix these runner-specific beverages.

Sunday brunch

Yeah, this one has been a weekend focal point for decades! But you’ve probably noticed how slow-going the run is after mowing down on a plate of bacon, sausages, fried eggs and sugar-topped waffles.

Your fix: Luckily you can make some swaps to keep Sunday brunch around. Fruit salad is a great menu option. So is whole grain toast with peanut butter and scrambled or boiled eggs versus fried. A glass of fresh-squeezed juice is going to do you good for sure.