The Great British “f*** it” festival
You don’t have a fat loss problem. You have a weekend problem.
You’re "good" Monday to Thursday. You eat well, get your steps, maybe even train a couple of times.
Then Friday hits – or Thursday lunchtime if you live in a yuppy part of town – and you tell yourself you’ve "earned it" – a few drinks, a takeaway tonight, take it easy tomorrow. Saturday rolls around, and you’re hungover and/or back at it again. No more training, no more step count, and you can kiss that alarm clock goodbye. And every weekend, you’re googling "quick fat loss tips" telling yourself:
“I’ll start again Monday.”
Sound familiar?
Brits treat Monday to Thursday like penance and the weekend like a religious holiday. When we consider that in 2025, 28% of adults in England are classified as obese, with an additional 36% being overweight, according to the House of Commons, it’s indicative that this mindset is exactly why so many people never see lasting results.
Let’s fix that.
Why this weekly “fuck it” is killing your progress
If your weekend is all you can eat, all you can drink, all rules off, then Monday will always feel like punishment.
And here’s the thing if you’re serious about looking trim and feeling fit you simply can’t under-eat, out-train or out-walk multiple weekends a month that blow your calorie budget by thousands every time.
Thursday evenings through to Sunday evenings simply represent the second half of the week rather than a completely different phase. Recognising this means that, with a little strategy, you can enjoy the week start to finish and make progress.
The three biggest weekend red flags – and what to do about them
1. Takeaways on top of your normal food and drink
It’s not that takeaways are "bad." It’s that a lot of people eat them in addition to their usual meals and after drinks, pushing calories sky-high.
The Fix:
Plan ahead by "banking" calories earlier in the day or even in the week (more on that below).
2. Drinking like there’s no tomorrow
Alcohol calories add up fast – and they don’t fill you up. Pints, wine, cocktails… they all count, even if you don’t.
The Fix:
Slow down. Swap heavy drinks for lighter ones. Alternate with water or diet mixers. Stop when you’re tipsy rather than when you’re drunk. Want to see the difference? Check this out:
Notice how quickly liquid calories can stack up – especially when you’re not getting any nutritional value in return. If you swapped one pre-game pint for a protein shake, you’d save a rum and diet coke’s worth of calories, feel fuller and be setting yourself up to feel better tomorrow… just a thought.
3. Skipping meals to "save" calories
Turning up starving always backfires. You end up eating more and feeling worse.
The Fix:
Eat a balanced pre-drinks meal with protein, carbs, and veg to keep hunger and cravings under control. Look at calorie banking rather than intermittent fasting (which has fewer benefits than social media would like you to think).
What is calorie banking?
It’s not starving all week to binge at the weekend. It’s making a small, realistic budget so you can spend bigger when it matters.
Example:
Fat loss target = eat 1,800 calories/day
Monday to Thursday = eat 1,600–1,700/day
That gives you an extra 400–800 to play with Friday or Saturday.
But it only works if you’re honest!
Need help finding your target? DM me and I’ll help you work it out.
Two green flags for fat loss (especially when you’re drinking)
Keeping protein high
If you’re planning to drink, one of the smartest things you can do is keep your protein intake high. For most people this will mean consuming at least 100g of protein per day.
Not only does protein help you feel fuller for longer – reducing the chances of you reaching for greasy snacks or takeaways later – but it also plays a critical role in protecting your muscle mass.
Alcohol is catabolic, meaning it can increase muscle breakdown, especially if you aren’t hitting your protein targets. By prioritising protein in the meals before and after drinking, you help your body preserve lean muscle, support recovery, and manage hunger. Whether it’s a chicken stir-fry before heading out, or a protein shake the morning after, small choices like this can keep you on track without forcing you to miss out socially.
There are lots of formulae you can use to figure out your ideal intake but I’d recommend starting at 1g of protein per bodyweight pound to be sure, e.g. if you weigh 180 pounds, aim for 180g of protein.
Balancing your social life with your goals
Feel awkward saying no to another round? Worried about looking like the boring one?
Let the people around you know what you’re working towards. Bring someone in on it.
Accountability makes it easier and more enjoyable.
If people you trust don’t want to see you succeed, they’re likely going through something themselves and/or being unsupportive.
In your shoes, I’d ask them what they’re really struggling with. If they can’t give you an answer, or are aggressive with you, I’d then give them space.
Seriously, it’s hard enough making life changes without friends and family making it harder and there’s a big difference between constructive criticism and holding people back.
The lies we tell ourselves
“It’s alright, I don’t drink” (as much as everyone else)
“It was just a slice of cake” (but there wasn’t enough for everyone else)
“I’ve been for a run this morning, so I can eat (a bit) more”
“Red wine’s good for you”
And so on.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know I don’t drink too often. The last time I did was at a uni mates’ reunion two weeks ago, and, at the time, that half of peach cider was delightful. One hour later though I was craving all of the foods I would never normally eat and ended up buying some marshmallows to “help” my sweet tooth. And for the rest of the weekend, all I could think about was food.
You see, alcohol’s a drug and a poison. It changes the way we think (which is often why we enjoy it) and it also changes the ways in which we digest and get energy from other food and drink. From a fat loss perspective, there’s nothing good about it – and if you’re overweight now, drink a bottle of wine or three or more pints a week and are serious about transforming your relationship with your body, I promise you, keep your food the same while lifting weights and walking more and just dropping the drink will lead to greater positive effects than you can imagine.
The real secret
You don’t have to give up your weekends. You don’t have to quit your social life. You just have to stop treating the weekend like it’s disconnected from the rest of your week.
Start making small, smart swaps. Start being honest about how much you’re really drinking or eating. Start showing up for yourself, not just for the next round at the bar.
Your next step
If your weekends keep wrecking your progress, I’ll help you build a plan you can actually stick to – Monday to Sunday, no “fuck it” festivals required.
👉 Drop me a DM with the word WEEKEND and let’s get to work.
Much love, and I’ll see yas in the next one
Jack x