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It has been a busy, distracting summer for me.

I am about to send off the first of two kids (I have twins) to college in a few days. All I want to do is spend time with them (them: it’s all about their friends!). I am sure that if you are a mother of teenagers you can understand this sense of urgency I am feeling. It is something I have been playing out in my head for 18 years, and here it finally is. It is a distraction on a high level.

In all of this, I have to admit, that it has been a challenge to try and eat clean this summer. Between college visits, trips with my family and simply being distracted with the thought of two kids leaving the nest at once, I understand how time constraints, traveling and even emotions can get in the way of good intentions.So, how to eat clean when distraction and stress overtake you? Here is what I have learned this summer and how I plan to get back on track in the fall:

• I am fully aware of what is going on. Awareness is key. I recognize the stress that I feel, the emotions I am dealing with, having to say goodbye to two children at once. In the past, emotional eating had always been a big trigger for mindless sugar and sweet treats. I get what’s going on. Sometimes I am allowing it, other times I am having an internal dialogue with myself and letting it go.
•  I am doing the best I can. For the most part, this summer has not represented my normal routine, my real way of eating or meal planning. I have been traveling more than I imagined, my kids are barely home these days and the way I cook is about to shift in profound ways. I know that things will settle down a great deal in September. Fall is always a great time to get back on track.

• I am eating as the locals do. I just got back from a family trip in Montauk. They have the best farmer’s market and best local produce. Even though my kitchen accommodations were not the best I still managed to grab some local veggies and other good for you foods that were made there. Wherever I have been this summer, I made it a point to research ahead and seek out the healthiest restaurants and other local food sources.
• When I have the opportunity to cook, I cook. Simply. After I got home from this last trip, I just wanted something super healthy and simple to make. I happened upon this recipe in an email I had received that day. Eating clean does not have to be complicated, this Mediterranean Halibut took me all of 30 minutes to whip up and was so nourishing.

Now, I want to hear from you. How have you managed to eat clean this summer (in the midst of distraction)? Has it been a hard summer for you, or is summer an easy time? Are you ready to get back on track and eat clean this fall? Let me know in the comments below!

It’s coming and I am so excited! The 2017 Reset: Clean Eating Challenge this September. Sign up here to get on the early interest list and be the first to hear about bonuses and early sign ups.

 

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