Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Anytime I mention that living a healthy life is fun, people give me a look that’s some kind of mix of surprise and disbelief. Now, it’s possible that my definition of “fun” may be a little different than yours, but when I talk about being healthy and having fun, I’m talking about food freedom. I’m talking about wine with dinner, meals out in restaurants, and doing all the things I want to do–and still feeling great afterwards. 

Today, I want to talk about how you can be healthy and still have all of your fun. 

Too weeks ago, I was traveling all around Europe, and I had an absolute blast. I also feel like I did a really good job treating my body well and fueling my body, brain, and soul. 

Of course, not every meal was perfectly balanced. My cheese fondue dinner was certainly full of more “p’s” and “f’s than full on PFC, but that’s okay. Sometimes, the balance is for your body, and sometimes, it’s for your soul. 

The trick is that if you mostly focus on balance for your body and your brain, your soul will be fed, too. That’s because you’ll be able to do all of the wonderful things that you love and that make you feel good. 

In Europe, we took a cable car to the top of a mountain, then walked through the forest at the top and enjoyed our fondue dinner. If I hadn’t chosen most of my meals to serve my body and brain, I couldn’t have done that walk, so I wouldn’t have enjoyed myself nearly as much. 

I would encourage you to think about your definition of fun. If you dig deep, I can guarantee that your definition is so much more than sitting on your couch with a pizza and an ice cream pint in hand. There’s so much to see and do in this world, and if you choose to have balanced meals 90% of the time, you’ll be able to stay in shape to explore all that you want to see. 

Most of the time, you should eat meals that feed your brain, body, and soul. Every now and then, you should treat yourself to a meal that just feeds your soul. 

I enjoyed great food in Europe that was a lot different from what I would have at home, like smoked duck breast over fresh greens in Germany. One thing I noticed about my meals abroad was that they were so much more balanced than what you’d find in a typical American restaurant. The portion sizes were perfect, they were a great blend of proteins, fats, and carbs, and the flavors were amazing. I didn’t feel the need to make adjustments as I do in a restaurant at home which was really great. 

My meals abroad fed all of my needs, so I was really able to enjoy plenty of treats like chocolate from the Lindt factory and plenty of wine and cheese. Even though those things weren’t as well balanced, because most of my meals were, I still enjoyed every bite without worrying that I would feel icky for the rest of my trip. 

That’s why being healthy is fun for me. I can enjoy delicious foods, do all of the things I want to do, and still enjoy my glass of wine with dinner. 

If you want to travel virtually and learn to make a balanced and delicious meal with wine to match, I hope you’ll join us for our December 2nd Perfect Pairings event. Registration has closed, but you can still contact me to register with expedited shipping. Leave a comment below for details!  

What’s your favorite destination you’ve traveled to? Let me know in the comments!

And if you need some inspiration for healthy living, please join me in my Facebook group Never Diet Again for a great community filled with yummy discussion!