Study says cheating on weekends is a no no

According to a recent study from Washington University, regularly overeating on the weekend can lead to a nine-pound weight gain by the end of the year. And it is not only holiday weekends that are to blame - it seems we consume more calories on most weekends.

And at the end of a tough week, you might feel you’ve earned the right to relax - a mindset that can also extend to your healthy eating habits. After all, a little splurge here and there shouldn’t sabotage your ability to manage your weight, right? Wrong.

Studies clearly show that if you’re trying to shed excess pounds - or keep the scale steady - you need to maintain a certain level of discipline seven days a week.

In the Washington University study, researchers tracked food intake, exercise and body weight of 48 adults, aged 50 to 60, for one year. At the start of the study, participants were divided into three groups: the first reduced their daily calorie intake by 20 per cent, the second increased daily physical activity by 20 per cent, and the control group didn’t alter their eating or exercise habits.

During the one-year study, all three groups consumed significantly more calories on the weekend than on weekdays. The calorie-restricted group stopped losing weight on the weekend and the exercise group gained weight. What’s more, people in the study didn’t realize they consumed more on the weekends.

Other research has determined that people who don’t give themselves a day or two off to cheat are 1.5 times more likely to keep off unwanted pounds.

But think about it: once you start giving yourself a few breaks on the weekend, you’re more likely to ease off on Friday and then Thursday. Eventually, the breaks accumulate and show up on the bathroom scale.

My 2 cents

I partially agree with this study.  There was a three week period at the beginning of my diet when I was following my plan during the week and then eating whatever I wanted  on the weekends. I wasn’t making any progress.

I started making progress when I put more control on my weekend intake. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t eating any food from the cheat department, but I was only eating a bite or two and no more than that.

The group chosen for this study is from an older demographic (less mobile, slower metabolism), although the article doesn’t really highlight this fact which I think is misleading and overdramatizes the findings.

Based on my experience, it’s ok if you want to cheat a little bit during weekends, you just have to pay attention to the quantity and let the scale be your judge. If you’re losing weight you can continue, if you’re not you have to cheat a little bit less.

The Globe and Mail > Health