I recently had the pleasure of escaping to the beautiful cabin my parents built in Fairmount Hotsprings BC with a group of friends. The mild temperatures made the mountain biking and campfires awesome. Most of all I loved connecting with friends over good conversation and both healthful and soulful foods (aka foods chosen for non-nutrition purposes).

One of the stereotypes of dietitians is that we are nutritional beacons of perfection that live on kale and quinoa. While I am a nutrition geek, I also know how to have fun! The trick with healthy living and sustainable health change is allowing for flexibility and enjoyment of ALL foods.

It was refreshing to spend time with a group of friends with no food hangups. They understand healthy living means getting enough fruits and veggies but that decadent buttery appetizers and indulgent desserts are part of balanced living. Far too often I see people place crazy restrictions on their diet that are unnecessary and frankly annoying. Just say no to nonsense food restrictions! If you have a long list of foods you “can’t” eat or “won’t eat”, unless you have a medical condition that warrants a food restriction, perhaps you need to give yourself a break.