Okay, Memorial day is right around the corner, we have like 4 weeks left. This is the big weekend where the weather makes a miraculous change (so we hope!) and it is the official beginning of the summer season. Now if you had a goal to look better and see some of the fat gone from your body, had you started January 1st, like I am sure most of you did, and you were consistent, you should be there already, or at least very close to your goal. Lets say you postponed and waited till March, you should look noticeably different by now, almost there. Is that where you are at???
One of the main components to reaching your goal in a reasonable time or not is your WEEKENDS! You cannot go on an all out binge from Friday to Sunday without it affecting your progress! To get where you ultimately want to be,a little sacrifice goes a long way.
Below is an excerpt from an article written by T-nation editor Chris Shugart about weekends and their effects on your progress, I could not have put it better myself –
Chris Shugart: Your Weekend Is F*ck*ng Up Your Progress
Years ago, I thought I could train hard and eat clean all week, then hit the buffets on weekends and still make progress. Five steps forward, only two steps back, right?
Wrong.
For a lot of people, weekends of dietary debauchery undo all the good they’ve done during the week. Eat enough crap, drink enough booze, screw up your sleep habits badly enough, and you’ll all but wipe out the previous five days’ worth of proper eating and hard training.
You might continue to make progress, but it’ll be slow. Over time, body fat starts to creep up, especially for those of us who’re no longer 19 years old, eight feet tall, and bulletproof.
I’m not suggesting that you stay home all weekend, eat celery sticks, and become a really buff hermit. But there are ways to minimize the damage of an active social life.
It’s entirely possible to go out with friends and not get sh*t-faced. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. You can go out to eat at a good restaurant without basting your abs with melted butter. You can even get your ass off the couch and do something active on weekends. For reals! I’ve read studies.
I understand it’s fun to obsess about splits vs. full-body training, or the best time of day to take BCAAs, or the relative merits of steady-state cardio vs. HIIT. But if your weekends are dietary disasters or tsunamis of booze, none of those issues really matters. Whatever you’re doing M-F, you’re undermining it on the days that begin with S.
You can still relax, recharge, and have fun on the weekend without derailing your progress and nullifying all your hard work. I’ve seen it done.
There you have it! Enjoy Saturdays and Sundays, but remember to look your best by Memorial Day –
WATCH YOUR WEEKENDS!
Don’t make me say that again . . . Im warning you!
Stay Strong,
Joey