Skip the frosted muffins at Starbucks and indulge in another way—by making that fancy, healthy breakfast recipe you never have time to whip up on a weekday (mmm, omelets), says Cara Walsh, R.D., of Medifast California. Though a protein-packed breakfast rich in veggies is way healthier than that muffin or a bagel, it feels more special because you can take your sweet time cooking it.
“By sticking to nutritious, low-calorie meals, especially on weekends, you’re committing to a lifestyle change that can result in a significant amount of weight lost,” says Walsh. And that’s extremely helpful when you’re committed to your goals for the long haul.
Other healthy habits worth investing some time on when you have more of it on the weekend: Extending your workouts or embracing Sunday meal prep, says Cathy Leman, R.D., owner and president of NutriFit, Inc. (Work these calorie-torching moves from Women’s Health’s Look Better Naked DVD into your weekend routine.)