Long weekends… something everyone looks forward to. Especially the first long weekend with warm weather here in Canada.
Time to recharge. Time to spend with your family. Time to get outside in the sun, get up to your cottage, jump in the lake and visit friends you haven’t seen in a while.
But with every long weekend comes an opportunity to completely derail your healthy lifestyle.
There is a natural tendency for more wine, more beer, more sugar, more sitting and more off track foods to slip in.
But to prevent you from feeling lethargic, bloated, anxious and worst of all… guilty, next week, here is a Long Weekend Checklist that I created for you.
But there is a disclaimer. I am not saying that indulging in off track foods cannot be a part of your long weekend. What I am saying is that you need to take the time before going into the long weekend to decide what non-nutritious foods are really worth the negative consequences. That way you will be able to make fast decisions and good judgment calls when dessert comes out. And this will help you create a lifestyle that will last.
So here it is, your Long Weekend Checklist.
1. Create a meal plan before you go. Sit down with your family, ask for their suggestions and preferences, and map out breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day that you will be away.
When I am up at the cottage with my family we always have a big breakfast and a big dinner. Dinner is always later than the time we typically eat at home because we want to stay outside as long as possible. Lunch is light, usually just fruit, trail mix, veggies and guacamole and needs to be able to be eaten outside and near the water. Your mealtime routine will probably be a little different when you are away from home and that's okay. Just expect it and plan for it.
My favourite cottage meals are...
- B'eggs or banana pancakes for breakfast
- By Design hummus and veggies or barbecued sausages with watermelon relish for lunch
- Barbecued chicken thighs with By Design barbecue sauce or barbecued beef burgers piled high with toppings and By Design ketchup for dinner
2. Create a grocery list before you go. Shop for essentials you may not find while you are away, like canned coconut milk or coconut flour. But prioritize buying seasonal, local fruit and vegetables and locally sourced, pastured meats, fish and eggs once you get to your destination.
3. Catch up on sleep! Long weekends are perfect for relaxing, recharging and getting an extra hour of sleep each night.
4. Bring a good book with you. It is very possible that you will be in a WIFI-free zone, which is actually a good thing. It means more time to journal, have a deep conversation with your family or read a good book. If you need a suggestion here are eight of our favourites.
5. Get moving! This is where your move slow component of Move By Design comes into play. Long weekends are perfect for playing tag, swimming, going for a hike or biking.
I hope you found this long weekend checklist helpful.
For simple By Design recipes why not pick up your copy of the Eat By Design Cookbook. I’ve created it in the form of a 28-day meal plan (plus grocery lists!) so you don’t need to think about what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner for the next month. Or you can grab the first 7 days FREE by clicking here.