Healthier Eating

1. Eat more fruits and veggies 

· "Ultimately, the food pyramid recommends a total of nine servings of fruits and vegetables," says Lisa Young, PhD, author of The Portion Teller Plan and adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University. No need to be worried about having to try to eat nine servings a day just start adding these things to your everyday meal. For example, if you eat cereal for breakfast then cut up a banana and put it in there, or even putting spinach on your sandwiches. I practice the "50 percent rule": aim to have half of your lunch or dinner plate covered in veggies. Not only will this help you get your nutrition fix in, but you'll also likely shed some weight because veggies have less calories than other foods like breads, pasta, chips or anything else we eat daily.

2. Watch for liquid calories 

· Soda is all sugar, not only is there no nutritional value to it, it just racks up your daily calories. Go with water anytime you are thirsty. Eight glasses of water are recommended per day, but you can always put flavoring into your waters.

3. Eat more fiber 

Fiber doesn't only keep you full but it also can help you lose weight. The best way to put more fiber into your diet is to change your white bread for whole grain. Or even get those fiber dissolvable powder and put it in a glass of water a day.

4. Be a smart shopper 

· Eat BEFORE you go to the grocery store. If you don't you will be more tempted to buying foods you should not be eating simply because they look good and easy to make. When shopping look at the nutrition content for things like no (or low) saturated fat, low sodium, and high fiber.

5. Start snacking smart 

· We all snack because it holds us over until our next actual meal. Prepare yourself with smart, packable choices like a whole fruit, a granola bar, or a yogurt. If you are more of a savory and indulgent person you can have almonds or a slice of cheese just remember your portions.

6. Plan ahead 

· Meal prepping can be your best friend. Find a day in the week that you have about two hours of downtime. Find some recipes online and make foods for the week and store them in your fridge or freezer. If you don't want to meal prep like that just make sure whenever you go out for long periods of time to bring something from home like a sandwich or some small snacks. It will keep you on track.

7. Pace your eating 

· If you are anything like me and eat your meals in record time try to slow it down and stretch your meals to 30 minutes. Eating slowly can cause you to eat less calories per meal. Sipping on water between bites, chewing completely and just being mindful can help you slow down your eating.