In Sydney we just finished a long weekend. It really got me thinking.

And the reason is because I woke up on Tuesday morning feeling completely normal…

• I didn’t feel guilty about what I ate on the weekend
• I didn’t feel like I needed to go on some kind of cleanse afterward
• I didn’t feel I needed to do anything different this week, and instead I slotted right back into my normal weekly routine feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after all the fun I had this weekend with my loved ones (bonus that the weather really turned it on).

Years ago I would have woken up feeling terrible, feeling guilty and over analysing what I ate… You know the drill and it’s not a nice way to live.

So I want to take you on a little journey of the weekend with you and if you are struggling with these feelings, listen to me: it doesn’t have to be this way. You CAN change. You CAN live the life you’ve always wanted.

A big change in my journey was when I decided I wanted something different. I wanted peace and flexibility with food. I wanted to naturally choose healthy options, and I wanted to naturally indulge in new and interesting foods with my friends if I felt the desire!

So let’s recap on my weekend and how you can enjoy your weekend!

It started Friday afternoon when I had a sunset picnic with some of my girlfriends. I brought cut up veggies (my other friend was on hummus and cheese duty), and I also brought dark chocolate and sugar-free treats.

TIP: When you are asked to “bring a plate”, this is a great chance to tailor the shared meal to something more wholesome, or at least add some sugar-free and low-carb options to the mix. You don’t need to tell people, you don’t need to let everyone know you are on a diet. But you can totally wow them with your skills in the kitchen, no-one needs to know it’s sugar free, and you’ll happily enjoy yourself with some healthy options.

Friday night I went out for wine and cheese. I choose red wine, and enjoyed some of the cheese and fruit on the platter.

TIP: Avoid the crackers, breads, jams, jellies, dried fruit and fruit pastes on a cheese board. Enjoy the cheese, fresh fruit and nuts. And enjoy it mindfully.

Read more of my platter tips here.

Saturday was a beach day! Yay!

TIP: Bring water! My hack is to buy a Hydroflask. I am obsessed with these bottles, they keep water cold all day even if your bag is sitting in the sun for hours. And it really helps to stay hydrated, which is seriously important on a hot long weekend day.

Saturday afternoon it was time for drinks with friends. Yes I drink! The reason I am so into my health is because it allows me to actually enjoy life (because I feel happy and I feel confident in myself). One thing you may not know about me is that I LOVE meeting new people, so socialising is a huge part of my life. For many years when my mental health was at a serious low, I avoided socialising at all costs and this is not a life I ever want to go back to.

TIP: This one is important and I swear it will prevent a hangover. Make sure you are EXTREMELY hydrated BEFORE you start drinking. Most people chug water in one go after they get home in an effort to make themselves feel good. This doesn’t work. On a day that I’m drinking alcohol I make sure to consume 2L of water throughout the day. I also love the Hydration product by The Beauty Chef. I have a serve of this too when I’m having a weekend full of sun and alcohol.

TIP: Micromanage your cocktails. I actually don’t know why some bars add so much sugar to their cocktails – you can’t even taste anything if all you taste is sweet. I love a Margarita but as my tastebuds don’t like overly sweet things, I ask for mine without the sugar, it tastes so much better. It’s a delish sour drink and it certainly helps me from feeling sick later on.

PS. Don’t be afraid of people judging you. Own your decisions and you’ll be admired. I normally just slyly ask the bartender to make mine without sugar without having to make a scene. And often when I ask for mine without sugar, the rest of the table wants theirs like that too. Don’t be afraid to be a leader and be confident. You’ll all feel better the next day!

Saturday night, it started getting late and we were starving. We collectively decided to order pizza. Which of course is not my normal broccoli and salmon type meal, but I have a thing for authentic Italian pizza. I don’t do fast food, but a sourdough proper Italian pizza with lots of olive oil and basil, I’m in heaven. I enjoy it mindfully with my friends and it tastes bloody delicious.

You see this is the beauty of life. I don’t understand when people say that eating well is restrictive.

What’s really restrictive is feeling depressed, feeling unconfident, feeling like you are trapped, and feeling like you can’t socialise and enjoy your life.

I also don’t understand this premise I see a lot on social media that you have to give up being healthy if you want to enjoy life. It doesn’t have to be so polarising, they are not mutually exclusive!

I made the decision a long time ago that I wanted to feel amazing and I wanted to enjoy life and I wanted to take my health seriously. And when I decide something, nothing can stop me from getting it. Any other Aries ladies relate?

PS… Have you seen my program The Sweetness Beyond Sugar is here!!! Last month I took a group of lovely people through the program and receiving messages that they were surprised at how easy it was to make dietary changes using my method (it’s not just diet), made my heart absolutely melt.

This is what I want for everyone. So you can all enjoy your lives to MAXIMUM enjoyment. We have one life, and if we aren’t serving ourselves and achieving our potential, what are we really doing! You can achieve so much when you get rid of some of these pesky road blocks like sugar addiction.

Read more and save your seat!