I don’t diet in January. Here’s what I do and what you can, too.

In the grand scheme of things, I see little wrong with riding the wave of New Years resolutions. It’s can feel fun and refreshing to begin anew. Where New Years diets can go wrong though, is in the expectation of nutritional perfection. People often refuse to meet themselves where they are nutritionally and instead, strive to meet unsustainable dietary habits. It’s time trade in your food goals for a far more sustainable plan (and still be healthy and happy!) To help, I’d love to share a handy little principle I learned from Joshua Rosenthal back in 2009 that is very relevant this time of year. The 90/10 Principle The 90/10 Principle only has one rule. And that rule is flexible, too. 90% of the time you eat health-promoting foods, and 10% of the time you eat whatever you feel like eating. Making the 90/10 Principle your goal forces you to get comfy in the grey zone of nutrition, where green smoothies and pizza co-exist as morally neutral foods on the same day. Where to go from here After the holidays, many of us need to focus on bumping the amount of whole foods back up, closer to 80% or 90%. If that resonates with you, then by all means, make this your practice. Make the juices. Eat the soups. And… Make sure you are allowing for 10% of pleasure foods. In the long run, you will feel far more relaxed about eating, and you will prove to yourself that you can eat truffles, lose weight, and still be very healthy and fit. Wishing you an amazing year of eating in a way that supports the fullest expression of who you are. Cheers! Laura