After coaching hundreds of clients over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern that comes up time and time again. Monday to Friday? They’re dialled in—tracking their macros, hitting their protein, staying consistent. But come the weekend… it all goes out the window.
Social events, takeaways, drinks—it adds up fast. And just like that, all the hard work from the week is undone in a 48-hour calorie frenzy.
This guide is here to change that. It’s packed with the same real-world strategies I give my own clients to help them enjoy their weekends without wrecking their progress. No strict rules. No guilt. Just smarter choices, better awareness, and a mindset that actually lasts.
Let’s make your weekends work for you—not against you.
📊 Plan Ahead, Don’t Wing It
Think of your weekend like a workout plan—without structure, things go sideways fast. If you’ve got a dinner or party coming up, map out your meals earlier in the day. Maybe keep breakfast and lunch a bit lighter—think protein shake and a veggie omelette—so you’ve got more wiggle room for that evening feed. Planning lets you enjoy the weekend without starting Monday full of regret.
Pro tip: If you’re going out for a meal, check the menu online beforehand. Make your choice before hunger and social pressure do it for you.
Struggling to plan your weekends around fat loss goals? Inside my Ultimate Body Transformation, I walk you through meal templates and real-world strategies for eating out, social events, and everything in between—built specifically for the skinny-fat guy who wants results and a life.
🍔 Pick Your Battles
You can have the burger. Or the chips. Or the pint. Just not all three in one hit. Pick one indulgence that’s worth it, and make the rest of the meal work around it. It’s not about saying “no” to everything—it’s about being strategic. Enjoy the treat, then go back to your usual rhythm.
Pro Tip: Think damage control. Enjoy the flavour—but don’t let one indulgence spiral into a weekend-long blowout.
🍻 Use the 2-Drink Rule
Two pints and a few mixers and suddenly you’ve smashed 1,000+ calories and lost your inhibitions around food. Keep it to two drinks, max. Alternate with water, skip the sugary mixers, and if you can, go for a spirit with soda and lime. You’ll still be social, but your Monday self will thank you.
Personal Story: I went out with my brother last weekend—and for context, I rarely drink alcohol. I gave myself a 2-drink limit and stuck to it. My first drink was a vodka, lime, and soda, followed by 3–4 glasses of water. Then I had my second (and final) vodka, lime, and soda, followed by a few more glasses of iced water. At one point, the guys in our group were getting into “shots, shots, shots!” mode—but I firmly declined. I was already having a great time and didn’t need more to enjoy the night. I left before midnight with only two drinks in me, woke up at 6am the next day, and smashed a hard training session.
🥗 Fill Up on Protein & Fibre First
Before you dive into nachos or pizza, fill your plate with protein (like grilled chicken, steak, or eggs) and veg. Fibre and protein slow digestion and help control hunger. That way, you’re not starving by the time the indulgent stuff shows up—and you’re far less likely to demolish everything in sight.
My Best Advice: Protein is king for keeping body fat down and lean muscle up. Veggies help keep you full without blowing your calories. I usually tell clients to try and hit their protein target for the day and this will ensure they don’t overeat at the restaurant/venue.
💧 Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can feel like hunger. It messes with your energy, cravings, and recovery. Aim for 2–3 litres a day (70-100 ounces), more if you’re sweating it out in the sun or hitting the booze. Keep a water bottle with you and sip throughout the day.
Personally, I use a tracking bottle like this one from Amazon. I carry it with me everywhere. It has a measuring scale on the side of it so you know exactly how much you are drinking…
Quick hack: Start your day with 500ml of water before anything else—even coffee. It sets the tone.
📱 Track It (Even if It’s Messy)
You don’t need to be perfect—just consistent. Log your meals, even if it’s rough around the edges. Had a burger? Estimate it. A few drinks? Count them. Tracking builds awareness, and awareness leads to better decisions. Don’t fall into the “I’ll just start fresh Monday” mindset. A messy tracker is still better than no tracker at all.
For those who don’t know, I worked night shifts for nearly 10 years. There were countless messy nights where tracking went completely out the window—but I did my best. And over time—nearly two years—I got into the best shape of my life. It was far from perfect… but it was progress.
Now and then, people say to me, “Easy for you, Brad—fitness is your full-time job!” But what they don’t realise is that almost every transformation photo or photoshoot you see of me online was taken either before or after a night shift, back when I had a “normal” job. I was exhausted before I even stepped foot in the gym—but I showed up anyway.
The lesson? You don’t need perfection. You need consistency and a bit of grit. Even when life’s messy.
Remember: You’re not tracking to punish yourself. You’re doing it to stay in control.
🏃♂️ Stay Active (But Don’t Punish Yourself)
Move your body—but not to “earn” your food. That kind of thinking leads to guilt, burnout, and a toxic relationship with training. Instead, train because it supports your goals, clears your head, and makes you feel good.
That said, here’s a smart strategy I personally use and often recommend to clients:
If you know you’ve got a meal out or drinks planned, get a solid training session in earlier that day. Whether it’s a heavy lifting session or a sweaty cardio block, it puts you in a better mindset going into the evening, gives you more flexibility with calories, and helps reduce the likelihood of spiralling into a blowout.
It’s not about “earning” the food—it’s about staying in the game.
🧠 Mindset Over Perfection
One meal won’t ruin your progress—quitting after it will. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s consistency. So you overate? So what. Refocus. Hit your next meal with intention. That’s how you build long-term results.
Fitness isn’t won or lost in one meal. It’s your weekly average that moves the needle. There’s a saying that has stuck with me which says something like “don’t have two bad days in a row!” In the context of a body transformation, “One bad meal won’t make you fat—just like one good meal won’t make you lean.”
The key idea is: slip-ups happen, but the goal is to break the cycle quickly and not let one indulgent day spiral into a weekend (or week) of poor choices.
🎯 Set a Mini Weekend Goal
Instead of chasing perfection, aim for progress. Choose just one thing to focus on—whether it’s hitting 10,000 steps, tracking your food both days, hitting 120g of protein, or sticking to your 2-drink rule. That one mini goal gives you structure, keeps you grounded, and gives you a win—even if the rest of the weekend goes sideways.
Why it works: Small wins stack up. They help you feel in control—and that builds momentum over time.
One book that really influenced my mindset around this is Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results by Stephen Guise. I highly recommend giving it a read. Back when I was working exhausting night shifts, I developed a brutal habit of smashing donuts, soft drinks, and vending machine snacks out of sheer frustration and fatigue. I had what I’d honestly call a full-blown junk food addiction.
Trying to overhaul my diet overnight didn’t work—it just left me feeling overwhelmed and defeated. So I turned to mini habits. Instead of cutting everything out, I focused on one small, achievable change at a time. Sometimes it was as simple as packing a homemade protein-rich meal instead of buying food at work. Or having a piece of fruit before going near the vending machine.
It wasn’t perfect, and there were plenty of setbacks—but I never gave up. Even after a rough night of binge eating, I’d reset the next day and try again. Over time, those small daily wins snowballed into real change—and eventually helped me get into the best shape of my life.
Moral of the story? Don’t underestimate the power of small actions, especially when you’re exhausted or life feels chaotic. Set one mini goal this weekend, stick to it, and keep building from there.
Final Thoughts: Win the Weekend, Win the Week
At the end of the day, the difference between those who transform and those who stay stuck isn’t perfection—it’s momentum. It’s those small, intentional actions that stack up over time. Planning ahead. Hitting your protein. Moving your body. Saying “no” when it matters, and “yes” when it’s worth it.
Weekends don’t have to be your downfall. They can actually become your advantage—a chance to prove to yourself that you can enjoy life and stay on track.
You’re not here to live on chicken breast and broccoli seven days a week. You’re here to build a lifestyle that’s strong, lean, social, and sustainable. And that means learning to navigate real-life weekends with strategy, not willpower.
So take what you’ve learned here and apply just one thing this weekend. One habit. One small win. Then stack another one on top next week. That’s how real change happens.
You’ve got this. 👊
—Brad
If you’re tired of undoing five days of clean eating with one weekend of blowouts, then it’s time for a better strategy. My Ultimate Body Transformation was built for skinny-fat guys who want to look lean, feel strong, and enjoy their life—not live in the gym. If that’s you, let’s get started 👇
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