It’s the weekend again! Your plans probably involve going out somewhere with family or friends. While you’re out on the town, chances are you’ll end up consuming more calories than your body actually needs and therefore gaining some weight.

Based on studies of what people eat on the weekends compared to what they eat during the week, many people eat up to 400 more calories than usual on the weekends. Over a whole year, those extra calories add up to 6 pounds of weight gain!

Don’t let “weekend weight gain” happen to you. Follow these four tips to stay one step ahead.

1. Plan ahead

Instead of ditching your healthy eating regimen as soon as Friday night rolls around, allow yourself just one meal over the weekend when you can cheat. Think about where you will go and what you will eat during the weekend, and choose the place or event where you will treat yourself.

For example, you might decide to have a few cocktails on Friday night or a calorie-packed brunch on Sunday, but you can’t do both.

2. Resist the temptation to sleep in late.

If you stay in bed until noon on a Saturday or Sunday, your circadian rhythm will be completely affected. You’ll feel like you’re starving when you finally get up, so you’ll probably eat a lot more than usual at lunch and for the rest of the day.

Of course, you should still do your best to get those 8 hours of sleep: just go to bed early enough that you don’t get up later than 10:00 a.m.

3. Work out with a friend on Saturday mornings.

Why is it so important to exercise with a friend? Simple: Because if you arrange with your friend to meet up for a workout, you’re much less likely to skip your workout.

Okay, so why should it be Saturday morning? The answer to this is also simple: because if you know you have to get up on Saturday morning and work out, you won’t stay drinking alcohol (which also contributes to weight gain) until the wee hours of Friday night. . A Saturday morning workout also helps you set a health-conscious tone for your weekend, which can prevent you from making unhealthy food choices later on.

4. Spend part of your weekend doing something active

As an alternative to your Saturday morning workout, you may want to plan a calorie-burning activity over the weekend.

You may want to walk or run on a nearby trail, ride a bike, or take an afternoon or full day to explore an unfamiliar neighborhood on foot. When you head out on these adventures, remember to pack a lunch made up of the healthy foods you eat throughout the week.

In conclusion…

One final note: did you still consume more calories than you should over the weekend, despite your best efforts to avoid it? If so, you can make up for it by eating fewer calories for a day or two. Try replacing one or two meals with a protein shake.