Here’s something we see quite frequently with new clients:

They dial things in during the week — meals are on point, training is consistent, and weight is trending down.

Then the weekend hits.

A few untracked meals. Drinks with friends. They snack in front of the TV because "it’s the weekend." Monday rolls around, and they’re frustrated because the scale is up.

They're then forced to make a choice: lie to us about their calorie reporting (which makes them feel shit, and makes our jobs more difficult), or log the calories accurately and feel like they are fighting to get back on track the rest of the week.

By Friday, their weight is back down to baseline, leaving them filled with regret that they didn't make further progress. But the cycle repeats.

Sound familiar?

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This is the norm for most people — normal diet during the week, chucking it all away over the weekends. This pattern is far less common with clients because they are bought into the process. But it can still be a struggle, and it's one we understand.

The first thing to understand is that if you gain 5 pounds over the weekend, the majority of it is not fat. It'll be mostly water, gut content, and glycogen. Write that on your mirror by the bathroom scale.

Math:

It takes a perfectly stored 3500-kcal surplus to gain 1 pound of fat. If you're dieting, you're likely aiming for between 1700 and 2500 kcal each day. You'd need to eat over 20,000 calories in a weekend to gain 5 lbs of fat.

So, if you ever have the thought, "I've gained 5 lbs of fat over the weekend!! 😱", please banish it from your mind*.

But 1 pound of fat gain is perfectly possible. As most people chase 1 pound of fat gain per week, this is where they undo their progress.

So what should you do on the weekends?

It's not about being perfect. It’s about awareness. You need to have a plan.

✅ Think ahead. Plan when and where you'll eat and adjust your other meals accordingly.
✅ Don’t wing it. Letting hunger dictate decisions leads to overeating. Stick to a loose meal structure prevents this.
✅ Keep moving. A walk, a bike ride, something to stay active and keep their mind off snacking.
✅ Manage alcohol. A drink or two is fine. A "screw it" mindset isn’t.

If weekends keep tripping you up, focus on making slightly better choices. Small tweaks add up fast.

Take a look at your typical weekend. Where do things go off track? Reply, and I’ll help you find a solution.

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​*Yes, water, gut content, and glycogen will hang around for several days, but if you are patient, the progress will reveal itself.