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!