Dietary Discernment

As we near the end of the Summer Holidays, it is not unusual to have allowed the enjoyment and celebration of the last few months catch up with you. I, personally, have been a little looser with allowing myself to indulge and be a little bit more relaxed about my routine over the past couple of months. No matter how great a shape I am in, self care is a daily practice and my daily habits catch up with me. That is what I always follow the Summer with some sort of revamp to my diet.

I am a love your body as is girl, however, I know that we are the result of a series of choices that we make. So it's time to make a few.

Here my top 3 guidelines for setting yourself up
:

Choose a plan you can stick with. 
You don't have to starve yourself on a liquid only diet. Or eliminate every single vice. There is no one right way of eating. In fact, your own body may change in terms of what it needs. We go in phases, and our bodies respond differently at various times in our lives. Take some time to consider what you are able to do today. Can you spend some time with measuring and portions? Perhaps the Zone is for you. Don't want to calorie count? How about going sugar and grain free for a week or two.

Make it a fun project.
When your food plan is enjoyable, it can be something to look forward to. I remember trying the Raw Vegan Diet and all of the delicious treats I had never sampled. Or going into a Raw Vegan cafe and realizing that I could order the "Cheeseburger" guilt free. I have recently started using a produce delivery service called Farmbox LA and I get very excited to see what foods they have sent me to explore. I love that I can prepare something I have never tried before.

Leave perfectionism behind. 
If you happen to go off of your plan for a meal, simply get right back on it the next meal. Being perfect (or thinking there is such a thing) can really hold us back from trying new things. Let your inner critic have a job, like looking for recipes that go with your dietary choice.

This next week may still be a holiday for you. Even so, begin to reign it in and make some discerning choices. For instance: choose the dark chocolate instead of the slice of cake. Or have a glass of wine, but push away the bread basket. Indulgence is still possible if you are willing to make conscious decisions.