Around this time of year all our good intentions are forgotten and healthy eating is abandoned.

There is candy every where. Treats everywhere. Parties all the time.

This kind of freaked me out…

And goals are forgotten because it just doesn’t seem possible to eat well with all the temptations around.

But it doesn’t have to be one or the other. Both reaching your goals and indulging can coexist.

You just have to find balance.

I tell people all the time PLAN AHEAD. And that is simply what you need to do around this time of year.

We all know that candy will be everywhere. That baked goods will be given to us on a daily basis.

But that doesn’t mean we have to indulge in every single thing. However, it also doesn’t mean we have to completely resist things that we love.

It is all about finding a balance and having a plan of action to know how and when to resist or indulge.

Maybe treating yourself after lunch to one of those pieces of candy you have to stare at all day every day, helps you stay on track. Or maybe you know that eating one will lead to an all out binge so you resist knowing you would rather have a piece of pumpkin pie later.

The point is that you need to plan, to think ahead so that you don’t completely destroy all the hard work you’ve put in for months yet you also don’t deprive yourself so much that either you can’t enjoy parties or you end up binging because you are so miserable.

There is no one right answer to find balance.

But it does really help to know how you are going to handle the situation. To plan. And to TRACK.

If you keep a food log, you know what you consume each day and can see how it all adds up. For many of my clients, they are following macro guidelines.

And knowing that they may be tempted by candies or cakes, they plan ahead to fit in a treat now and then.

Because eating clean doesn’t mean perfection.

I know I’ve said this a bazillion times but it needs to be repeated. Especially now when often people let one little treat turn into a full on binge, which turns into forgotten goals.

You don’t need to let trying to eat well around the holidays make you feel deprived or stressed. Just find a BALANCE and PLAN AHEAD!

Remember what is important and really decide if you want the candy or if it is just there. Also decide if you will enjoy the treat or just feel guilty.

Because if you are indulging make it count and ENJOY IT!