It’s that time of year again.

As a Health and Nutrition Coach, I always have people ask me for some tips on how to successfully celebrate special occasions without completely going off the deep end when it comes time to eat.

The first and most important thing I always tell people is this:

ENJOY THE CELEBRATION!!!

All to often we try so hard to do ‘the right thing’ about the whole ‘eating during the holiday’ issue, that we actually end up NOT enjoying this time of year.

Don’t do that anymore.  Eating healthy and making healthier choices isn’t about being miserable.  I promise.

There are a couple pointers I like to give people who don’t want to go crazy, over indulge and completely get off track with their healthy lifestyle.

If you’re like me and you don’t get tempted to devour every piece of food that comes within 20 feet of you, this time of year isn’t a struggle for you.  Along those same lines, my body doesn’t crave much of the food that I don’t normally eat anymore, and I know if I eat it, then I don’t feel that great – so it’s never a temptation to me.

But, if you’re like the majority of the people out there, especially those who are trying live a healthier lifestyle, this time of year {or any celebration for that matter} can be a challenging time.

For those of you, like myself and my family, we always eat organic, freshly prepared, non-processed foods – so eating at other people’s homes is not like eating at home.  BUT I don’t freak out and go crazy that I’m not getting my organic and fresh foods.  I am always thankful that someone would take the time to prepare a meal for us to enjoy – whether it’s considered ‘healthy’ in my book or not.  Since 98% of the time we eat extremely healthy and disciplined at home, I never feel guilty when those occasions arise where we aren’t able to eat that way. 

If there are certain foods that you absolutely cannot eat (if you have allergies or have celiac, etc.) then speak with the host for that day and explain your situation and ask if it would be okay if you brought some of your own items so you can still sit down and enjoy the meal with everyone else.  Many times you will find that the host may offer to make some dishes according to your needs.  If your eating preferences are just that, preferences, then it’s up to you to make smart choices while you are filling your plate.  Many people only see one side of eating healthy and that is whether or not the food is organic.  This is a good factor – but we also need to look at the other side.  That is how much we are eating and the atmosphere in which we are eating it in.

Head over to Day2DayJoys.com, where I am a contributing writer, to read the 9 tips I have for eating healthy and responsibly during the holiday season!

Have a beautiful day!

Live on purpose!

xo Kari