Stay healthy or have fun? How to navigate the weekend diet struggle

We've all heard of the 80/20 rule. Eat clean 80 percent of the time, and enjoy yourself during the other 20 percent. Easy concept to follow, right? Sure - until you realize that you're breaking all the rules on the weekends so you're creeping towards 70/30, and then WHOOPS, you ate pizza on Friday night, and Thursday was happy hour... and all of a sudden you're so far from 80/20 that you throw your hands up and try to forget that the week ever happened.

Healthy shouldn't be that hard. But with all the temptations that an active social life brings, we often find ourselves having to pick and choose between health and fun. We can't stand this.

YES - We want to hang out with you.
NO - We don't want to eat all the apps and drink all the drinks and feel like crap the next morning.

That's where WHOLE comes in. Philly's new wellness events are tackling this dilemma head on. We were tired of the compromise, so we created WHOLE to give Philly fun, social wellness related events (think: cooking classes, pop-up supper clubs, and fitness brunches) that won't make you give up on your health.

So, what are some things we've learned about creating balance while creating this project?

1. Start every day healthy.
Maybe you start your day with warm lemon water to boost your digestion, a spin class to get your metabolism going, or a super smoothie to jam pack your nutrients in. Whatever it is, make a conscious effort to start your day on a healthy note. This will fuel the rest of your day and encourage you to make better choices up until your night out.

2. Decide what matters to you.
Don't drive yourself crazy scanning the menu for the healthiest options. If you want the pasta - GO FOR IT. But don't take one compromise as a reason to blow all the other rules out the window. Skip the breadbasket and if you can live without dessert, then don't order it. Enjoy yourself, but make mindful choices that reflect your true desires.

3. Surround yourself with like-minded people.
Nothing is worse than having to explain why you are ordering a salad. You shouldn't need to apologize for taking care of your health, so challenge your current friends and family to join your health journey, or make a new friend in yoga class and grab post-class drinks. It's SO much easier to stay on track socially when you don't have to worry about peer pressure. Or hopefully, you'll just get to a place where your family automatically assumes you want lots of veggies and gluten-free options at every gathering!

4. Suggest alternative activities.
If your friends always suggest you "grab a drink", try to switch it up. Instead, check out a new fitness class together (we're crushing hard on [solidcore] right now), or a comedy show, or go for a walk on the Schuylkill Banks. Philly has tons of cool things to do that DON'T involve eating or drinking - get creative!

Here's another alternate activity idea: WHOLE is hosting its next cooking class on Thursday, November 10 at 7 p.m. at Function Coffee Labs. Focusing on a guilt-free Thanksgiving, this class will teach you a little, feed you a lot, and have you feeling fantastic the next morning.

To learn more about WHOLE, head to wholephl.com or follow us on Instagram at @wholephl for event updates.

Jessica Baumgardner, aka Health Coach Philly, is a Certified Holistic Health Coach who hates diets.  Focused on women's health, hormones, and fertility, she brings super-practical support to help ladies feel great, take care of their bodies, and actually enjoy the process.

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