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Welcome to My Blog About Nutrition & Optimal Health!!
Top 2025 Nutrition Trends to Watch For
Megan Barefoot
Top 2025 Nutrition Trends to Watch For
Megan Barefoot
Megan Barefoot
Is a Plant-Based Diet Right for Everyone? Exploring the Benefits of Including Animal Foods
Megan Barefoot
Is a Plant-Based Diet Right for Everyone? Exploring the Benefits of Including Animal Foods
Megan Barefoot
Megan Barefoot
How To Know If You Have Parasites!!
Megan Barefoot
How To Know If You Have Parasites!!
Megan Barefoot
Megan Barefoot
Grilling Veggies to Perfection: A How-To Guide for a Healthy Summer
Megan Barefoot
Grilling Veggies to Perfection: A How-To Guide for a Healthy Summer
Megan Barefoot
Megan Barefoot

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Day Twenty-Three - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Digestion, Food, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrients, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Wellness Megan Barefoot Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Digestion, Food, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrients, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Twenty-Three - Holiday Health Challenge

Put the Food Away

It’s the BIG DAY! The family is all present, the dinner food is about to be plated. What do we do with all the appetizers? You know, the cheese plate with crackers, the veggies and dip and the nachos and salsa that some how made it out of the pantry. Put them away. Clean up the appetizers before the meal gets plated to cut down on filling up too much on the snack foods and then over filling on dinner.

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Day Twenty-Two - Holiday Health Challenge
2018, Challenge, Coaching, Health Coach, Health Food, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Self Care, Wellness Megan Barefoot 2018, Challenge, Coaching, Health Coach, Health Food, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Self Care, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Twenty-Two - Holiday Health Challenge

Get Domestic

Over the holiday season many of us get at least a few days off. How do you use that time?  Are you home? I suggest using a little of your down time to get your life organized for 2018!  Take the time to meal plan, unclutter the house and look at your schedule for the year.

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Day Twenty-One - Holiday Health Challenge
Coaching, Digestion, Gut Health, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Wellness Megan Barefoot Coaching, Digestion, Gut Health, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Twenty-One - Holiday Health Challenge

Slow Down

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! I don’t know about where you are, but we are going to have a white Christmas here in Calgary. The stockings are hung, the meals are planned, the gifts are wrapped, and the little ones are busting at the seems trying to contain their excitement!! Whew! That was A LOT to take on! Hopefully this holiday season you will find some time to slow down, put your feet up and relax. 

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Day Twenty - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Food, Gift Ideas, Health, Health Coach, Healthy Gifts, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Wellness Megan Barefoot Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Food, Gift Ideas, Health, Health Coach, Healthy Gifts, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Twenty - Holiday Health Challenge

Are there Traditions You Can Live Without?

I was shocked when I Googled Holiday Traditions in Canada and realized that 90% of them were all foods or involved a food! What? Do we not read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” anymore? Why does everything have to revolve around food? I have decided to make a point this year of making other things a tradition with my family.

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Day Nineteen - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Coaching, Food, Health Coach, Healthy, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Wellness Megan Barefoot Challenge, Coaching, Food, Health Coach, Healthy, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Nineteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Trim Down on The Trimmings

The holidays are filled with amazing foods! We enjoy all the holiday meals and all the “trimmings”. Do you know what the trimmings are? I have heard that phrase all my life and only in recent years did I think about it. What are these trimmings we speak of so fondly? Where do they go for the rest of the year?

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Day Eighteen - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Chocolate, Coaching, Health Coach, Health Food, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrients, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Raw Chocolate, Self Care Megan Barefoot Challenge, Chocolate, Coaching, Health Coach, Health Food, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrients, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Raw Chocolate, Self Care Megan Barefoot

Day Eighteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Bring Your Own Dish

Don’t wait to be asked to contribute to a invitation to dinner. In fact, don’t even ask if you can bring something, just do it. Tell the host or hostess that you have fallen in love with a new recipe, or that it would be your pleasure to bring your favorite holiday dish for them to try.  I often will show up with something other than wine.

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Day Seventeen - Holiday Health Challenge
Megan Barefoot Megan Barefoot

Day Seventeen - Holiday Health Challenge

Know Your Holiday Stress Points

Does your family put you on edge?  Maybe it’s not anyone person but having everyone together in the same space?  Do you loath running into someone at a “must go to” holiday party and get flustered every year?  The holidays can hold many stresses and there are things I suggest skipping, but there are MUST DO’s that there’s just no getting out of. 

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Day Sixteen - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Education, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Self Care, Treat Yourself, Wellness Megan Barefoot Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Education, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Self Care, Treat Yourself, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Sixteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Bring Out the Skinny Jeans

Okay this might be the funniest tip in my opinion! Going to a party? Dress in your tightest pants, aka the skinny jeans and let nature tell you when to stop eating! It doesn’t just have to be your jeans, find a fitted shirt, a little black dress, wear a belt that doesn’t have any room to let out a notch! I find this a fun and effective way to stay conscious all day and all night. 

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Day Fifteen - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Coaching, Health Coach, Nutrition Coach, Nutrition, Nutritionist, Whole Foods Megan Barefoot Challenge, Coaching, Health Coach, Nutrition Coach, Nutrition, Nutritionist, Whole Foods Megan Barefoot

Day Fifteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Size Does Matter

Today we are going to discuss portion size. What do the “recommended” portions look like?Here are a few easy ways to remember without counting calories or grams of fat, protein and carbs. Remember that your stomach is only able to handle SO much food.

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Day Fourteen - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Choices, Coaching, Digestion, Energy, Fresh Food, Health Coach, Holistic, Holidays, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Whole Foods, Wellness Megan Barefoot Challenge, Choices, Coaching, Digestion, Energy, Fresh Food, Health Coach, Holistic, Holidays, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Whole Foods, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Fourteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Add the Holiday Color GREEN!!

One of my favorite sayings is “When you’re green inside, you’re clean inside!”.  You may even catch my children repeating this mantra as they fill their bellies with spinach or broccoli.  I love it!  But that’s because I love veggies and I love them for SO many reasons. (Especially the green leafy ones!!)

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Day Thirteen - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Inflammation, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Wellness Megan Barefoot Challenge, Christmas, Coaching, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Inflammation, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Wellness Megan Barefoot

Day Thirteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Balance Acid with Alkaline

When we eat foods that produce an acid or alkaline effect on the body without balance, the body must work harder to mitigate the effects of pH and keep our bodily fluids in homeostasis. But, when you eat acid forming foods and balance them with alkaline forming foods they have a neutral effect on the body! So, which foods are which?

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Day Twelve - Holiday Health Challenge
2018, Buffet, Challenge, Coaching, Food, Health Coach, Holidays, Digestion, Holistic Megan Barefoot 2018, Buffet, Challenge, Coaching, Food, Health Coach, Holidays, Digestion, Holistic Megan Barefoot

Day Twelve - Holiday Health Challenge

Eat Low to High – Eat till Satisfied NOT Stuffed

It’s time to discuss how to eat at a buffet FULL of treats!  We’ve discussed trying to come prepared and trying to not arrive starving but it’s still nice to sample some of the food.  I mean, it is Christmas!!  So where to start?

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Day Eleven - Holiday Health Challenge
Challenge, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Treat Yourself Megan Barefoot Challenge, Health Coach, Holidays, Holistic, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Treat Yourself Megan Barefoot

Day Eleven - Holiday Health Challenge

The Holidays are filled with deliciousness.  There are gingerbread cookies, shortbread cookies, pecan pies, pumpkin pies, eggnog, hot buttered rum and many more unbelievably amazing confections.  Sometimes I run into people who are literally eating themselves through the holidays.  Did you know that most people who pack on a few pounds every holiday rarely take those pounds off in January?

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Day Eight - Holiday Health Challenge
Megan Barefoot Megan Barefoot

Day Eight - Holiday Health Challenge

Why does everyone stop their workout program over the holidays? It’s astounding to me how many times I hear that clients take a vacation or a holiday from work as an opportunity to stop taking care of themselves when it should be the opposite. You have just given yourself some time TO workout and get in some extra activity! 

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Day Six - Holiday Health Challenge
2018, Challenge, Choices, Christmas, Coaching, Drinks, Education, Energy, Food, Fresh Food, Health, Health Coach, Health Food, Healthy, Healthy Gifts, Holidays, Holistic, Hydration, Nutrients, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Raw Foods, Self Care, Self Love, Sugar Free, Treat Yourself, Wellness, Whole Foods, Buffet Megan Barefoot 2018, Challenge, Choices, Christmas, Coaching, Drinks, Education, Energy, Food, Fresh Food, Health, Health Coach, Health Food, Healthy, Healthy Gifts, Holidays, Holistic, Hydration, Nutrients, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Raw Foods, Self Care, Self Love, Sugar Free, Treat Yourself, Wellness, Whole Foods, Buffet Megan Barefoot

Day Six - Holiday Health Challenge

Okay, so we discussed scheduling the events that we are going to visit and we discussed how to navigate drinking at events but what about food?  Here’s the scenario; We arrive at a party and there is a MASSIVE buffet filled with the most delicious food!  We tried to plan ahead and not arrive super hungry but we were tied up at the office and had to rush out the door.  What do we do?...

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Day Five - Holiday Health Challenge
2018, Challenge, Choices, Christmas, Coaching, Energy, Fitness, Food, Fresh Food, Gut Health, Health, Health Coach, Health Food, Healthy, Healthy Gifts, Holidays, Holistic, Hydration, Natural, Nutrients, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Organic, Sleep, Unplug, Wellness, Whole Foods, Yoga, Self Care, Self Love, Mental Health, Spiritual, Treat Yourself Megan Barefoot 2018, Challenge, Choices, Christmas, Coaching, Energy, Fitness, Food, Fresh Food, Gut Health, Health, Health Coach, Health Food, Healthy, Healthy Gifts, Holidays, Holistic, Hydration, Natural, Nutrients, Nutrition, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Organic, Sleep, Unplug, Wellness, Whole Foods, Yoga, Self Care, Self Love, Mental Health, Spiritual, Treat Yourself Megan Barefoot

Day Five - Holiday Health Challenge

Through this entire year how many times have you taken time out to “just be”? Just be you, just think about you, what you want and what you need?  How many times did you think about doing something special for yourself, to say thank you to yourself for being SO amazing? Have you been to get a pedicure, facial or massage? Did you think to buy yourself something, just because YOU deserve it?...

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Day Four - Holiday Health Challenge
2018, Activity, Challenge, Choices, Coaching, Education, Energy, Health, Health Coach, Healthy, Holidays, Holistic, Natural, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Sleep, Wellness, Unplug, Technology Megan Barefoot 2018, Activity, Challenge, Choices, Coaching, Education, Energy, Health, Health Coach, Healthy, Holidays, Holistic, Natural, Nutrition Coach, Nutritionist, Sleep, Wellness, Unplug, Technology Megan Barefoot

Day Four - Holiday Health Challenge

Technology is the current drug of choice for many.  Addiction can only be understood when the object is taken away.  Are you addicted to your technology?  Have you tried leaving the phone, tablet or computer turned off for a day or even a few hours?  We can never fully realize how much we NEED to be connected until we aren’t...

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