Don't Let Weekends Ruin All Your Hard Work--9 Tips!

[SparkPeople.com::The Weekly Spark]( [For Anyone Losing Steam...]( If you're already thinking negative thoughts like, "Well, there's always next year..." stop right there and click on this article! Resolutions have a way of falling by the wayside when life gets busy or things feel too difficult. In fact, most studies say that 80 percent of resolutions fail. But not yours. Not this year. This year, you're going to make your resolution stick, and these expert-approved tips are going to be your secret weapon. [+ Read More]( [From the desk of: Alicia Capetillo, Editor-in-Chief SparkPeople]( For longer than I'd like to admit, I allowed weekends to be unofficial, extended cheat days. Despite being very purposeful during the week, I never ate with fuel in mind or scheduled workouts after the clock hit 5 p.m. on Friday. "I exercise so I can indulge in these cookies," I'd laugh with friends late at night, already planning on sleeping in the next morning. But a weird thing happened along the way--my body actually started craving exercise. I started slow, just jump roping in the basement Saturday afternoons, maybe a few abs exercises. Then I scheduled a HIIT workout a few weekends later. Now I'm working on keeping Saturday movie night binges to a minimum. While I still let myself relax and eat dessert, I don't look at weekends as a no-rules zone anymore. This week, I challenge you to make a plan for next weekend using our second article. Schedule a hike with friends or plan on experimenting with a new healthy dish. Every little tweak you make will affect your energy levels, happiness and motivation for the following week! [Weekend Warrior or Wrecker?]( Monday through Friday you are the poster child for healthy living. You've got your meal prep down, you schedule three workouts ahead of time, you're making an effort to drink more water. Then, 5:00 p.m. Friday hits and that all flies out the window. Suddenly, happy hour appetizers and sleeping late are the only things on your mind and you barely recognize the person who crushed that Wednesday workout two days ago. If this sounds like you, this article is your golden ticket to learning how to sta [+ Read More]( [It's Going to Hurt to Laugh]( The core is a complicated, but powerful grouping of muscles, and you won't work all the muscles involved by just sticking with traditional crunches day in and day out. If you've been looking to really invest in working on getting stronger core muscles that will help with overall stability and strength, these 10 targeted moves from personal trainer Justin Ochoa ought to do the trick. And, spoiler, you won't find any crunches here! [+ Read More]( [Gaga for Ginger]( It might not technically be gingerbread season anymore (we miss you, Christmas!), but that doesn't mean you should put the ginger in the back of the pantry just yet. Not only does ginger has a ton of health benefits, but it is super versatile and can be incorporated into a number of dishes. From morning muffins and smoothies to stir-frys and soups, we've got 25 recipes that will make ginger your new favorite ingredient. [+ Read More]( [Let's Move & Improve]( [Do It for the Play Dates]( [Yes, Soup for You!]( GET OUR BEST: [Like on Facebook]([Pin on Pinterest]([Follow on Instagram]( SparkPeople Apps]( your Food]( [Redeem Your SparkPoints]( [Unsubscribe]( © 2019 SparkPeople, Inc. All rights reserved. [Terms]( | [Privacy]( | [Manage Emails]( 310 Culvert St., Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202