Surviving a Cottage Weekend

Making a Mojito as part of an overall healthy lifestyle

Getting out of the city is great, but it doesn’t have to be a set-back. 

That said, Saturday and Sunday comprise 28.6% of the week so whether it’s a weekend away or not, we better learn how to manage weekends if we are to achieve any progress whatsoever.

Here are some tips:

1. Training really hard the days leading up to your long weekend. Then you’ve earned at least one day without hard training.
2. Talk to your hosts in advance about your goals. Cottage owners want you to have a good time. They are usually OK if you exercise and bring your own food.
3. Try to get an exercise buddy but don’t rely on him/her.
4. Remember that 15 minutes of maximal output training is worth about 30-45 minutes of moderate exercise.
5. Something is always better than nothing.
6. Train immediately before your big meals or treat meals.
7. Expect resistance, taunting and hearing stuff like “What’s one day gonna matter.”  Those who try to stop you from training are usually projecting their guilt, and trying to make their behaviour seem normal.
8. Have come-backs ready such as, “Feel free to join me,” or “I enjoy it,” or “It’s part of my routine,” or “I’ll be done in a few minutes then I’ll join you.”

All this gets easier the more you do it.

Restaurant Tips:

1. Make the decision to eat healthy BEFORE you enter the building. Everything in there is designed to get you to eat and drink as much as possible, including your server.
2. Don’t read the menu. Or only read the salad section and the Entrée section, or just ask the waiter for meat and vegetables and they will offer you some entrée that complies.
3. A salad with protein or the house specials are good starting points. If you get the house special, get them to reduce or remove the starch and get extra vegetables.

BBQ or Buffet Tips:

1. Take your time and assess the entire food offering before selecting. This will help you find what is the best choice, or what treat is “worth it”.
2. Always start with protein. If it’s high-fat, avoid adding any other fats. High fat meats include beef tenderloin, chicken with skin, ground beef, and salmon. Lean meats are skinless chicken breast, shrimp, scallops and pork with fat removed.
3. Next you want to get half your plate full of vegetables. Ideally ones not coated in dressing.
4. If you chose a low-fat meat, you can add two thumbs of fat to your plate.
5. Use appetite awareness to tell you if you have eaten enough. Ignore cues like feeling you have to finish your plate
6. Don’t eat anything that has been between 5-60 degrees Celsius for 2 hours or more, or you risk food poisoning. Especially anything cut up into small pieces (egg salad).