Weekends are a time to relax, unwind, and catch up with our loved ones, but weekends can also be a time when things start to fall apart with your consistency.

The standard Monday to Friday schedule lends itself to structure and busyness that almost forces you to be prepared. It's anticipated that you wont have much time to think about food, let alone try to freestyle your macros. You have a routine and stick to it...at least until Friday night rolls around.

Birthdays, girls night out, brunches, baby showers, weddings, dinner with the in-laws- the list of occasions is endless but unfortunately your macros are not. It may seem harmless to indulge just this once, after all it is _______ but these 'just this once' occasions can easily become a recurring weekly habit.

If you aren't such a social butterfly, but you do love a lazy Sunday at home. A sleep in followed by catching up on Netflix can turn to circling the kitchen a few too many times to find that perfect snack. You have a whole day of macros and not a lot planned for them but before you know it it's 3pm and you're out of food.

The truth is, the weekend is always going to happen. There will always be occasions or lack thereof to pose a challenge but it's all in how you choose to handle them. Your goals don't stop mattering 2/7 days of the week (or 2 1/2 if you count Friday night) so the effort you apply to achieve them shouldn't stop either. Going over your macros has the same impact on a Tuesday as it does on a Saturday.

It all comes down to one key strategy: don't treat the weekend any differently than the rest of your week. The activities you have in place may change, but you've been using the skills of success all week long. Keep using them!

If you know you have social gatherings to manage:

• Browse the menu online and make a plan ahead of time. (For more on this, visit How to Stick to Your Macros when Eating at Restaurants)
• If you're scheduled to make an appearance at birthday celebration at the bar, figure out if fitting in a drink is a priority- if so, pre-calculate it and log it. Remember, there is nothing wrong with choosing diet soda or seltzer.
• Eat before you go. Being stuck out socializing while hungry can lead to spur of the moment food choices. Fill yourself up on a high volume, high protein meal to tide you over.
• Learn to say no. You're allowed to set boundaries in order to focus on your goals. This might mean a night in or passing on cake or a round of shots.
• Find other ways to connect with friends- not everything has to be based around food or drinking. Take in a comedy show, enjoy the outdoors, invite them over for a meal to share.

Give your weekends structure:

• Plan out your meals for the day to make sure you're pacing your intake appropriately.
• Get out of the house. It's easy to graze all day if you have nothing else to do.
• Use your extra time to make your next week a success. Find some ways to refresh your menu for the week. Plan your meals for the upcoming week, and get a head start on prepping.

Weekends are what you make of them. You already have the tools at your disposal to stay on plan. They may not always go perfectly, but the more often you consciously choose to problem solve, find ways to stay on plan and build a life that supports your goals the easier it gets!