Maintaining Health and Balance During Special Events?

Today’s post is about questions, not answers.  I need the help from all of you to try to start understanding what I consider to be one of the hardest parts of learning to live a healthy lifestyle.  How do you go about healthy living during special events?  How do you balance your cravings for foods that are unhealthy with your body’s need for nutritious foods?  

Yesterday was an exciting day for me.  It started with a bridal shower that I hosted with three other friends from school, and it ended with a bachelorette party for the same bride.  My friend Mary is getting married just a week before me; she also recently finished her Masters degree (did I mention that I am officially finished!?!), so we’ve been able to go through the thesis-writing-while-also-wedding-planning process together.  That’s a tough place to be and it definitely has led to the establishment of a really good, strong friendship.  Thus, I was thrilled when yesterday morning rolled around and I was able to spend a full day celebrating Mary and all the moral support she has given me, not to mention that it was my first time seeing friends and going out since finishing my thesis.  It was bound to be a good day, but an unhealthy one.

The shower was beautiful.

Can you believe one of my (obviously talented) friends/fellow hostesses went to the grocery store, picked out flowers, and made the large bouquets herself?  Amazing.  You can read about more of Sarah’s amazingness (cooking, art, decorating, the list never ends) on her blog.  She updates when she has time among the craziness that is her life.

The shower was also filled with good food.

And that was just brunch.

Dinner was at Pure Taqueria, an automatic downfall for me because they have what I think is some of the best queso in Atlanta, along with really fresh, delicious margaritas.  I only like flavored margaritas, generally making them even worse for me, although I think these were made with actual fruit, not syrup.

Then there was the bachelorette party itself.  A little jump back to the 80’s may have occurred.

Of course, a late night at bars for a bachelorette party is doomed to be an unhealthy occasion, particularly because I don’t enjoy drinks like vodka and cranberry; I’m all about the ones that are the worst possible for me, like a white russian complete with half and half.  Just the idea disgusts me, yet that’s what I want to drink.

So now it’s your turn to help me.  On days like this, how would you have handled your attempt to be healthy while still enjoying the balanced lifestyle that involves having a good time at and fully participating in these events?