The key to eating healthy is variety. I’m talking about fruits, veggies, lean meats, eggs, whole grains, and nuts.

Be aware of portion size!!! Example - 1 cup of cooked veggies is the size of a fist. 1 medium fruit is size of a baseball. 3-4 oz. of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

Take a multivitamin daily.

Drink at least 10 glasses of water daily. No soda or diet soda, fake fruit juices, and fancy lattes with sugar and milk!

Replace white bread with whole wheat or whole grain. Make sure the first couple of ingredients don’t say “enriched” because that means important nutrients have been taken out.

Replace white rice with whole grain or brown rice.

Replace sugar with Stevia (it is made of fiber) or none at all is best.

No fried, salty, or sugary foods.

Have cut up fruit and veggies ready for snacking.

Try to have 3 servings of dairy daily (low-fat or non-fat) if not, use calcium supplements. Broccoli and sardines are a great source of calcium too!

Red meat has saturated fat, limit to two times a week or less. Pick chicken or turkey instead.

Go for organic fruits, veggies, meats, and dairy.

Go for raw nuts-roasted is ok (no salted or sugar coated).

Use Pam olive oil spray for cooking.

Aim for 25 grams of fiber a day. One whole wheat tortilla has 14 grams!! Nearly half your daily intake!!

Try to eliminate caffeine; it raises your cortisol levels.

Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep. If you get less than that, you could store fat because your body needs that amount to function at full capacity. Of course this does not apply to new mothers.

Limit alcohol, it stores abdominal fat. Choose a 4 oz. glass of red wine. It has 150 calories and some antioxidants. Not a bottle!

Eat 5 small meals to fuel your metabolism.

Use baby spinach or a spring mix instead of iceberg lettuce. Baby spinach offers more nutrients.

Change your peanut butter to all natural; you’ll have to keep it in the fridge. If it says partially hydrogenated it is bad fat. Almond butter is my favorite!

Change your jelly to 100% fruit spread. It tastes better too. I usually mash up my own fruit like a banana or strawberries and spread it on my bread.

Whatever your bedtime, try not to eat 4 hours before you go to bed.

Drink green tea throughout the day; it helps curb your appetite.

Always check with a doctor before trying any new nutrition or workout regimen!!