The Word on Weightloss

Who doesn't love the weekend? The weekend is a time to let loose, have fun, and take a break from your weeklong routine...and if you’re anything like me you look forward to it starting Monday morning! But, because it’s the weekend, it’s also a bigger opportunity to stray from your weight loss plan and your healthy eating. How can you stay on track and enjoy your two-day vacation? Here are a few ideas to keep you moving in the right direction!

Make a plan.
Maybe it’s me, but I love thinking ahead to the weekend and planning fun activities and healthy meals to eat. I love to cook but I don’t have time during the week. I also love to workout but sometimes I have to skip a few sessions during the week when things get busy. So, start on Friday (or earlier!) and plan your weekend around healthy activities that will keep you on track to your weight loss program. If you treat yourself or go out to dinner, remember to stay on track with healthy snack and meal options, healthy portions and drink lots of water!

Rest
The weekend is a great time to catch up on some much needed sleep. Researchers have suggested for years that sleep and weight loss are linked because of the hormones leptin and ghrelin that are affected by sleep and influence your appetite.

• These two hormones work together to control your feelings of hunger and fullness. Without a good night’s rest leptin levels go down, which keep you from feeling satisfied after you eat and ghrelin levels rise which stimulate your appetite.

Use your weekend to sleep an extra hour or two if you can.

Get outside!
Spring is in the air, so get outside and enjoy the fresh smells and temperatures of the season.

• If your weight loss program includes walking, get out there and walk an extra mile.
• If your weight loss program includes running, get out there and run an extra mile
• Or use the beautiful weather to try something different - swim in an outdoor pool, jump rope on your patio, go hiking or take a yoga class offered in a park. Even gardening and washing the car expend calories and can help increase your fitness.

Use the extra time over the weekend wisely and put it towards your fitness goals, if you can.

Cook more.
I love to cook healthy meals and the weekends are great because I have more time to cook in them. I’m not sure whether it’s enjoying the process from start to finish or making a meal for someone I care about, but cooking is a very satisfying. Food brings people together and is comforting; making it healthy and tasty is the goal. I always love to start off with a healthy homemade breakfast on Sunday morning.

Here’s a healthy favorite of mine: Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes (with fruit on top!):

Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white

Cooking spray
3/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons butter

Preparation

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white, stirring with a whisk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle. Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

Serve with syrup and butter for top with blueberries and cut up strawberries or any other favorite fruit.

(recipe courtesy Cooking Light)