Q. Why is it that when I go on a healthy weight-loss plan, I lose barely a pound a week, but after the weekend I’ve gained back more than a pound? It feels like I can’t go out and have a glass of wine and dessert occasionally because it will take me a month to undo the damage. – Isi Paraparaumu, Wellington, New Zealand
A. You’re a victim of the “weekend effect”: extra pounds that suddenly appear on Monday morning and take weeks to lose. But it’s not the glass of wine or occasional dessert that’s creating those love handles you hate. If you’re like most North Americans, on weekends you’re taking in way more calories than you realize. A 2008 study at Washington University School of Medicine found that dieters consistently gained weight on the weekends while losing weight during the week because they ate more on weekends. When you’re kicking back, a few more chips and another margarita or a second slice of pizza with the works seems OK because you were “good all week.” You probably also eat out more on weekends, and at many restaurants, “single” portions are big enough to feed a family of three (seriously), yet find their way into your body of one. So here’s our action plan for all weekends, not just one: Don’t drop your guard on Friday night and pick it up again Monday morning. Walk more. Try to lose a little on most weekends. And keep a food diary: Writing down what you eat, especially on weekends, will help you have that glass of wine with no regrets.
