Happy Soul, Happy Mummy

A healthy balanced diet for yummy mummies is essential. But indulging in non-healthy food is also critical in keeping our spirits up. Remember, "A little bit of what you fancy does you good".

Here are some points I use to help me find a good balance between eating healthy, and eating "healthy for my soul":


Spread The Wealth
If I want to indulge in a big gooey ice cream I will eat it in front of my children. They are always happy to help me out. I watch, wistfully, from the sidelines as both boys lick, lick, lick my ice cream away, but their pleasure supersedes mine. And I always manage to get a few good bites in.

Accept 2nd Best
Remember when you were single and you and your girlfriends embarked on a great holiday? Thoughts of gorgeous men danced in your head as you walked into the hotel resort. Sadly, the best looking guy was really hairy and had a space between his two front teeth. But by Wednesday, he was looking mighty dapper. It's the "best of the worst" syndrome. We can tweak our thinking and accept that the hairy, dentally challenged man is our dreamboat-same goes for snacking.

Ok, so you really want that ice cream-instead make yourself a low calorie version. I freeze low calorie chocolate pudding (add low calorie Cool whip and a squirt of chocolate sauce) and your mouth won't know what hit it. Hankering for chips? Try flavoured baked crackers instead. Want something sweet? A big piece of bubble gum satisfies my sweet tooth-plus, much to my kid's delight, I can still blow a mean bubble.

Rob Peter To Pay Paul
Dying for an O Henry! chocolate bar? Have a salad for lunch. Then you can chomp away at the chocolate-y peanut-y goodness with no regrets. If you stuff your face with bread rolls at dinner then pay penance the next day and eat a cucumber salad for lunch. Balance ladies. I still owe myself 3 mini powdered doughnuts thanks to a soup only dinner last night.

Never Drink Your Calories
Forget about those 544 calories mocha-fattening drinks-waste of calories! Your mouth is not satisfied with liquid-you've got to give it something to chew. So drink a Crystal Lite and use the 500 calories for a bag of sour cream and onion chips-bliss!

Don't Put Anything In Your Mouth Unless You Love It
My husband smirks when I say this. But if the roasted potatoes are mediocre don't eat them. If the sandwich you ordered has stale bread stop eating it. And this goes for your kid's grilled cheese crusts. If they won't eat them, then why should you?

And Finally, Drink Wine
After a chaotic day of work, traffic, kids jumping on my head a glass of red wine in the evening is wonderful. Sure it has calories. Yes I know it's a liquid- but still-trust me on this one.