Are You A Fan Of Evening And Weekend Treats? Here Are Seven Ways To Quit The “Working Week Diet”

Are you on the "working week" diet?

It's the habit of eating healthily all day but being so proud of yourself you tend to pig out a little in the evenings and at weekends?

If this sounds a bit like you, you could unknowingly be on the "working week" diet, the eating habit that everybody's talking about at the moment.

Nutritionist and women's health expert Marilyn Glenville tells Yahoo! it's no wonder we don't feel the benefits of our 9-5 "ticking all the nutrients off" efforts.

The message? We need to break the cycle of being weekday diet angels and weekend binge devils...

"It's so common," Glenville says.

"It’s almost like as a reward for all your hard work, but you go and ruin it with what you think is a harmless treat.

"And it's becoming harder and harder to manage because people will go overboard on Friday and Saturday nights."

Go on then, just the one... sure it's Wednesday. 

"By the time you've recovered from the weekend, the next one's already arrived and you're liver has to deal with takeaways, processed foods, sugars and all that alcohol over again," Glenville continues. 

"It doesn't give your body, and especially your liver, time to do it's normal tasks such as breaking down hormones. It has to deal with breaking down the toxins such as alcohol, first."

Glenville shares her tips to quit the dangerous habits.

1. Plan Ahead

Think frozen or pre-chopped veg. It makes it easier when you get home to cook the meal instead of debating phoning for a takeaway.

2. Ditch The Everyday Drinks

It's important for women to have a few alcohol-free days each week. Women don’t metabolise alcohol as well as men and need to give their livers the chance to do their day job.

For a lot of people, it's the ritual of sitting down with a glass of wine that tells them that the day is over and they can relax. Try a longer drink, like a white wine spritzer, that'll give you the same number of glasses you're used to but is healthier. 

If wine equals relaxation for you, make a spritzer instead. 

3. Treat Yourself Earlier In The Day

If you're partial to a treat, get it in as earlier in the day so you have more time to burn off the calories.  

4. Try Alternatives

Try a stir-fry as opposed to a takeaway in the evening. 

A stirfry is one tasty alternative... 

5. Watch Your Weekends

Treating yourself at the weekends sounds great, and it is, but try not to binge eat. This lifestyle plays havoc with your health, especially the alcohol. 

6. How To Manage The Alcohol Intake

If you are going out, try spirits as long drinks. They're not as bad for your blood sugar as wine. Beer is the biggest culprit.

Also, make sure you eat before you go out. It'll buffer some of the effects of the alcohol. 

7. Choose The Best

When it comes to weekend treats, always choose the very best ingredients available. If you're going to have chocolate, go for dark, organic. In general, look for foods with the fewest ingredients possible.