| Healthy eating requires precise planning, | | | | lot of calories. Use soup broths or vegetable |
| from grocery shopping to lunch options to | | | | purees as a sauce base. Add chopped |
| eating out. The best way to maintain healthy | | | | vegetables to make a pasta salad. Dice up |
| eating habits is to have a good support | | | | broiled or grilled chicken to get your |
| system for your efforts. | | | | protein in. |
| | | | |
| Plan your supermarket visits. You can easily | | | | 5) Plan ahead for a mid-afternoon snack at |
| bypass foods that add valuable and needed | | | | work - Have apples, oranges, and raw veggies |
| nutrients to your nutritional plan when you | | | | like cauliflower, broccoli, or baby carrots, |
| shop impulsively and aimlessly. Schedule | | | | cans of tuna and chicken for boosting your |
| routine visits to the store, have a list, and | | | | energy levels. |
| never shop when you're hungry. Read the | | | | |
| labels. You'll find a nutrition label on most | | | | Eating out tips. |
| food packages that provides information on | | | | |
| how much protein, fat, carbohydrate, sodium, | | | | When eating out at a restaurant, avoid |
| cholesterol, vitamins, minerals, etc.is | | | | entrees that are fried or in a cream sauce. |
| contained in a single serving. This info | | | | Stick with fresh fruit, and ask for steamed |
| helps you see how certain foods (even your | | | | veggies, which are nutritionally denser. |
| sinful favorites) fit into a healthy diet. If | | | | Soups are generally low in calories, and |
| you are shopping the perimeter of the store, | | | | hence a soup as a starter is a good idea. |
| buying fresh produce, fish, meat, poultry, | | | | Other starters and appetizers should be |
| and dairy, you're already getting most of | | | | either boiled, poached, barbecued, steamed or |
| what you need in a sound nutrition plan. | | | | baked. For your protein, have baked poultry |
| Foods in the center of supermarket aisles | | | | or fish. Skip the dinner rolls and butter. |
| generally contain the most preservatives and | | | | Have a salad with light dressing on the side. |
| are devoid of important vitamins and minerals | | | | Ranch and cream dressings are usually higher |
| unless you really know what you are looking | | | | in calories. Vinargrettes are usually the |
| for. | | | | best in terms of calorie content. |
| | | | |
| Lunch and post-lunch tips. Bring your lunch | | | | The importance of a support group If you plan |
| to work in one of these five forms: | | | | on joining a diet group (or are already in |
| | | | one), you'll get a boost when you attend |
| 1) Brown bag containing a healthy sandwich or | | | | weekly meetings. Whether you like the idea or |
| salad (it only takes a couple of minutes to | | | | not, diet groups can offer tremendous |
| pack it) | | | | support, motivation, and education about |
| | | | eating a healthy diet. The social atmosphere |
| 2) A nutrition bar, with an ideal combination | | | | fosters a sense of accountability and |
| of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. | | | | responsibility, which is conducive to more |
| | | | weight loss. Most successful dieters are |
| 3) A protein shake in a thermos, with an | | | | involved in some kind of support group, |
| apple at the side. | | | | whether it's family, a diet group, or |
| | | | friends. Having a "cheering section" could |
| 4) If you are a fan of pasta, watch what you | | | | make the difference between quitting and |
| put on it. Alfredo sauce and oils can pack a | | | | persisting. |