15 ways to have fun yet stay focused in New York

So I just got back from a long weekend in New York, a little escapism from my crazy kids-work juggle for some fun and freedom and it was just what I needed!

Whilst I was there, I ate some incredible food, drank lots of nice wine and had a couple of crazy cocktail infused night on the tiles. I’d posted quite a lot of pictures to my own facebook page and also to my What Janey Eats group, and one thing that really stood out to me was how many people were surprised how much I let my hair down. These people haven’t done my Food Management Made Easy programme, so don’t know the behind the scenes food principles I have and today I wanted to share them with you!

1. I never diet. Never, ever, ever. I consistently eat positive food principles 90% of the time and have what I call controlled indulgences.

2. Controlled indulgences on a week by week basis means that I include things that I love a few times a week, 365 days a year. You’ll see me eating chunky chips with full fat mayonnaise, some nice wine and a weekly latte. A few times a year, like Christmas, my main summer holiday and weekends like this I let my hair down a little bit more

3. Before I do this, I lock in and load up with extra goodness, and when I get back I do the same. Balancing fun and focus is a key ingredient of making food management easy for you.

4. I never feel guilty. Never, ever, ever. I have far too much self-respect for that and I am focused with my food, not obsessed.

5. I never weigh myself ever, so whilst I came back feeling a little jaded after a fun weekend and a long haul overnight flight back, I wasn’t one of these women stepping on the scales to see the damage I’d done. Damage? No such thing when you are consistent with your health and food principles 90% of the time.

6. I never waste calories. Never, ever, ever. There was nothing I ate over the weekend that I didn’t really want or need. I never thought ‘oh I’ll have that just because everyone else is’. I knew exactly what I wanted to enjoy and as a result never felt bad about eating a thing.

7. I don’t eat any sugar, apart from in the wine I drink (1/2 tsp in a glass of wine compared to 7tsp in a banana or cupcake), and 1/2 tsp in my daily coffee. I had no sugar all weekend apart from the wine and cocktails. So yes I had more sugar than I normally do and yes I drank more alcohol than I usually do, but I had no sweets, treats, desserts or fruit.

8. I didn’t have access to a juicer, so I didn’t make a big deal of it, a few days off a year doesn’t make a significant impact on your health. But when I found a vegetable juice in starbucks, I chose that over a latte on my last day.

9. I still ate as much raw food as I could, but I indulged in a couple of wheat based dishes that I’d never usually have. On my first night, a NYC style pizza and on my third morning, I had a Club Bagel. These are not things I eat regularly but loved to experience in New York. But I did only have 2 pieces of pizza and had my bagel scooped out so there was less wheat and more filling – plus I asked for extra avocado.

10. Around the real indulgences, I had small portions. One morning when I was shopping, I stopped to buy breakfast. I couldn’t find a wheat free sandwich but had an egg and salad one instead. I left the crusts to cut the wheat down. Next to me was a woman who was chatting on the phone about her latest diet. But I watched her eat a whole bagel with cream cheese, 2 eggs and a large skinny latte. Probably a 700 calorie breakfast, whilst I ate 2/3rds of a 350 calorie sandwich.

11. I went out for dinner on Saturday night to an incredible restaurant called Flex Mussels. I had oysters to start, so a light choice, but then I went to town on my main, choosing what sauce I wanted to eat without thinking about the calories or food principles. I chose the Parma ham, caramelised onions, cream and parsley one. It was without a doubt the best mussels I’ve ever had and certainly one of the best mains I’ve had in the last year. I had some nice wine with it, but only had 3 chips and left the bread. People around me were stuffing themselves with bread and loading up on calorie-laden sides. I went for taste and satisfaction, not stuffing myself.

12. One day I didn’t have breakfast, so when I got to the bar at lunchtime, I was quite hungry. So I ordered nachos. Not the plain ones but the ones with olives, melted cheese and cream cheese / avocado on the side. Not something I eat regularly, but something that I enjoy. I didn’t finish the whole plate though, I only ate half.

13. At the airport on the way out there, I enjoyed lunch before I got on the plane – a superfood salad and some chunky chips and full fat mayo, and had a small glass of wine. But I also bought a salad from pret for the aeroplane to have later on because the food on planes is wheat based and sugar based with hardly any nutrients. People around me were eating things I’m sure they weren’t enjoying / just for the sake of it. I wasn’t bitter about people tucking into pudding and bread rolls, because I was satisfied from my lunch before I got on the plane and only eat things I enjoy and want to eat.

14. On my last day I went out for brunch and enjoyed a fantastic burger. But because I was drinking a few glasses of wine, I left the bread and only had a few chips. I also said no to dessert. Some people might prefer not to drink and have dessert, which is fine if that is their choice, I’m not saying the way I eat is the way everyone should eat. But I am in control over what I want to eat and what I don’t want to eat and I’ve made peace with that. As people were tucking into puddings, I didn’t have food envy, far from it. Because all weekend I’d indulged in the things I wanted to.

15. Finally, I was pretty active all weekend. I went to the gym the first morning I was there and I walked miles and miles throughout my 4 days there. But fitness wasn’t on my agenda. I used to be the type of person who would have trained everyday on a trip away, where as now, sleep, relaxation and fun is more a priority, however being as active as you can always helps keep the calorie burning ticking away

All of this is what I call effortless food management. Some thought, not too much. Indulgences that I don’t usually have, but thoroughly enjoyed without giving myself a hard time. Letting some of my food principles go out the window for a few days but being able to get back on track as soon as I got home and some balance before hand.

With this type of approach I don’t think about food in a toxic ‘I must be in control over everything I eat all the time’ way, but I use daily planning strategies and eating on the go principles from my Food Management Made Easy programme, which has meant my weekend was fun, I was satisfied all of the time and most importantly, I’ve not gained any inches despite eating quite a lot of high calorie food. On that note, I’m going to suggest that is because my body functions incredibly well from the consistency in my healthy eating 90% of the time, everything is made easier and you can cope with weekends like this!

No diet in sight. No guilt in sight. No weight gain in sight.

And, most importantly, the best weekend away I’ve had in ages!

Food Management should be effortless and actually one of the things that many people commented on whilst I was away, was how refreshing it was to see a health professional like myself tucking into the ‘naughty’ stuff. There’s no such thing as bad food, just a bad diet. Everything in moderation, including moderation I say!

I hope this inspires you all to see that with the right approach women can and should switch off and indulge guilt free.

If you want to know more, my Food Management Made Easy programme is now available as an automated course. Check out the incredible testimonials here.

Janey x