From eatingwell.com
It’s important to prioritize your health on weekends, too
KEY POINTS
- Unhealthy weekend habits can make it harder to maintain healthy routines.
- Poor sleep, excess alcohol and overeating can negatively affect blood sugar regulation.
- Managing blood sugar through a healthy lifestyle may help lower diabetes risk.
Having a glass of wine over a shared meal with family or friends, staying up late to watch a sporting event or binge-watching a TV series with a bowl of chips on a rainy day are weekend activities you might engage in from time to time. These one-off scenarios can bring joy and are often harmless. But what happens if you take them to the extreme every weekend?
Weekend habits such as these can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disease that affects the way your body processes and uses glucose, or sugar. It’s estimated that about 40 million people in the United States are living with diabetes, including 29 million who have been diagnosed and 11 million who are undiagnosed.
Lifestyle plays a significant role in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Your dietary patterns, physical activity and sleep habits can all impact your risk.
“Consistency matters over perfection,” shares Kaitlin Hippley, M.Ed., RDN, LD, CDCES. “While less-structured weekend habits don’t ‘undo’ healthy habits from the week, repeated patterns can make it harder for the body to maintain stable blood sugar.”
Read on to learn more from diabetes experts about the three weekend habits that can sneakily increase diabetes risk, along with lifestyle changes that can help you reduce your risk.
1. Not Getting Enough Sleep
All three experts agree: Your weekend sleep habits matter, and consistently skimping on rest can raise your risk of developing diabetes over time.
“Not getting enough sleep on the weekends can negatively affect your blood sugar regulation,” says Hippley. “Sleep restriction and irregular sleep patterns may increase cortisol levels, disrupt hunger and fullness hormones and increase insulin resistance.”
When your cells are resistant to the insulin your body produces, sugar remains in the bloodstream instead of being transported into cells to be used for energy. Over time, blood sugar levels rise, increasing the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
“Even a few nights of poor sleep can decrease insulin sensitivity and increase cravings for high-calorie, high-sugar foods,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND. Combined with poor sleep, regularly overeating high-calorie foods can contribute to weight gain, a risk factor for developing diabetes.
2. Excess Alcohol Intake
Binge drinking (defined as four drinks for women or five drinks for men in one sitting) on weekends is a harmful habit and carries multiple health risks. Compared with not drinking at all, both occasional binge drinking and frequent binge drinking have been linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Alcohol can damage the liver and increase inflammation, which can negatively affect blood sugar regulation.
Additionally, drinking multiple drinks over the course of a weekend can lead to excess calorie intake, especially paired with late-night eating. “Alcohol intake can disrupt sleep, affect appetite regulation and may lead to poor food choices,” says Sheth.
While letting loose and enjoying an occasional drink isn’t likely to derail your health, try to reserve alcohol for special occasions and limit how many drinks you have in one sitting. Sheth recommends setting a weekend drink limit and drinking a glass of water between alcoholic beverages to help slow down alcohol consumption.
3. Overindulging in Foods High in Sugar & Fat
After a long workweek, dining out can feel like a welcome break from cooking and clean-up. But turning it into a routine habit may influence your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“Frequently overindulging in highly processed foods and added sugars on the weekends may make blood sugar management more challenging over time,” says Hippley.
Portion sizes play a role, too. “Oversized portions high in refined carbohydrates, sodium, added sugars and saturated fat can negatively impact blood sugar and heart health over time,” says Sheth.
If you dine out often, consider choosing smaller portions of fibre-rich carbohydrates (e.g., whole grains, legumes, starchy vegetables like potatoes), lean proteins (e.g., fish, tofu, beans, chicken, turkey, lean beef) and healthy fats (e.g., avocado, nuts, olive oil) for balanced nutrition without sacrificing enjoyment.
Alternatively, try sharing meals if portions are large, or take half of your meal home for leftovers.
Tips for Lowering Risk
Your lifestyle can play a vital role in reducing your risk of diabetes. Hippley recommends small, consistent changes, as they are often more effective than extreme short-term approaches. Here are some tips for lowering your risk:
- Stay Active. Movement is important for heart and metabolic health, so try to be active on weekends. “Some movement is better than none. At the very least, go for a 5– to 10-minute walk after meals for better blood sugar regulation,” says Sheri Gaw, RDN, CDCES.
- Prioritize Sleep. “Aim to stay consistent with your sleep pattern throughout the week. Just small adjustments in your sleeping routine like winding down 15 to 30 minutes earlier each night can help,” says Gaw.
- Eat Balanced Meals. Gaw also recommends prioritizing vegetables at all meals, including on weekends. “Balance greasy indulgent foods with something healthful like a salad or piece of fruit,” she says. On most days, aim to eat a balanced, minimally processed diet that includes lean protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates, colourful fruits and vegetables and healthy fats.
- Reduce Added Sugar. It’s best to keep added sugars to a minimum on most days. Reduce your intake of sugary foods and beverages such as sweetened drinks, cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, table sugar and syrups. Doing so can support blood sugar management and prevent excess calorie intake that may contribute to weight gain.
Our Expert Take
It’s common to indulge a bit on weekends, but overdoing it regularly can increase your risk of diabetes over time.
“I frequently see clients who are very structured and disciplined during the week and then swing to a very inconsistent weekend schedule, which can make it harder to support long-term metabolic health,” shares Sheth.
This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself every now and then, but try to centre most weekends around healthy habits, such as prioritizing vegetables, going for walks and drinking alcohol in moderation. These simple changes can make a meaningful difference in reducing your risk of diabetes.
https://www.eatingwell.com/weekend-habits-that-are-quietly-increasing-your-diabetes-risk-11999644
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