Weekend Brunches are an institution in Hong Kong. But overindulging in the free flow brunch can seriously undermine your efforts to get in shape. Remember that ultimately weight loss and improved body composition is fundamentally a matter of calories.
No matter how saintly you are during the week, if you spiral out of control on the weekend then no amount of spin classes will save you. We all know people who eat like saints, all quinoa and blueberries, and train like maniacs but despite all of their hard work, their colossal efforts and their near expert level nutritional knowledge they just can’t see any results. They lurch from diet to diet, cleanse to Cambridge to crash, desperate to fit into last year’s wardrobe but not making any real progress. Are you delusional about your deficit? Maintenance calories for this fictitious person (based on real-life events) are 1800, so the example person is in a 300 calorie deficit per day.- MONDAY- FRIDAY- 1500 Cals
- SATURDAY-1800 Cals
- SUNDAY- BRUNCH- 3500 Cals
- 5 glasses of champagne- 450 cals
- 1 glass of Orange Juice- 110 cals
- Bacon- 2 rashers- 180 cals
- Eggs-2 poached- 180 cals
- Toast w/ Butter- 1 slice-190 cals
- Croissant and Butter- 320 cals
- Cheese board- 100 grams of cheese total- 330 cals
- 3 oz Prime Rib- 300 cals
- Dauphinoise potatoes-100 grams-132 cals
- Cheesecake - 80 grams- 260 calories.
- Cappuccino- 100 cals
- Don't adopt a cheat meal mentality, you’re here to enjoy a meal not to end a famine. Lose the make the most of your money mindset and eat slowly and mindfully.
- Eat your regular meal first: this means protein, vegetables, and fruit before pancakes, waffles and ice cream. You’ll be fuller and well satiated before you begin, leaving you to make much better decisions about which treat to indulge in.
- Recognise that alcohol doesn’t get a free pass when it comes to calories. Each glass of 125ml glass of champagne runs to 90 calories. This doesn’t seem like a large amount but it soon adds up in a free flow environment.
- Most buffets have a good selection of cold cuts, seafood and protein items- take advantage of these.
- Choose your poison- alcohol will be metabolized by the body as energy ahead of fats and carbohydrates which will be placed into storage. A good strategy is to choose either sweets or alcohol and try not to consume both together.
- Remember to relax. A couple of glasses of champagne will come to 180 calories which is hardly going to place you into a weekly calorie surplus.