There are a million different opinions on how to lose weight and how to be healthy. Which way is the best way?  The easiest way?  The most popular way? Before you LOSE your mind trying to decide, let’s talk about what is the right way for YOU … everyone is different and there is no ONE SIZE FITS ALL answer. Being healthier, happier and in better shape starts with one small change at a time. Here are 10 small, easy things you can consider: 1.    EAT 6 TIMES A DAY You will actually burn more calories and use your calories much more efficiently if you spread them out over the course of the day rather than skipping meals and eating one large meal. Try setting your phone or computer alarm for every 3-4 hours and consider that too as an invitation to an “eating event.” You do not have to eat a whole meal, but do eat something at each of these scheduled times. 2.    EAT ONE HOUR AFTER WAKING In order to use your food efficiently your metabolism needs to be working. If you go too long between eating, your metabolism actually will slow down.  We typically get 6-8 hours of sleep each night (some lucky people get even more), so break the “fast” every morning by eating something within the first hour you awake. This will tell your metabolism that you want it to work today, and when you eat every 3-4 hours thereafter you will keep it engaged all day long. PS – there is no rule that says you should stop eating after 7pm – the only guide line for evening eating is, watch what you eat (we tend to crave or want sweets, desserts or crunchy munchy things in the later evening, so choose things like crunchy veggies, fruit, yogurt, nuts, or non-buttered popcorn instead), and stop eating 2 hours before going to bed. 3.    WATER IS WATER We need 64 ounces of water a day. Coffee, hot tea, ice tea, soda, or energy drinks, do not count as water. Even though they are liquids they do not have the same cleansing ability as plain water. Do not count flavored waters either. If you just can’t bear to drink plain water, you could add a lemon or lime slice and still count your water as water. 4.    BE A LITTLE MORE ACTIVE THAN YOU NORMALLY WOULD BE Activity and exercise are two different things. If you want to exercise, feel free! Exercise is great, but activity also has great health benefits. Activity is ANYTHING that you do that requires your body to move. So every day purpose to be a little more active than you normally would be. Park further away, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk the dog one more block, get out of the chair and step away from the computer every 30 minutes, or get up and walk around the house at every commercial. 5.    EAT SOMETHING FROM EVERY FOOD GROUP EVERY DAY Over the last several years Carbs have gotten a bad rap. Most fad diets will tell you to cut out carbs if you are looking to lose weight. But that’s actually just the first part of a healthy tip. Cut out the simple carbs such as white bread, white rice or pasta, and choose whole grains instead. Likewise Dairy tends to be on a lot of do not consume lists. However dairy has many healthy qualities if you choose Fat Free or Low Fat dairy items. 6.    EAT A VARIETY OF FOODS Check that shopping list, is it a carbon copy of last week, and the week before? Humans are creatures of habit, we tend to get into a rut when it comes to grocery shopping and we tend to pick the same old choices week after week. When your brain is in cruise control and you don’t have to think about your food, know that your metabolism is too. Variety keeps your metabolism engaged. So purpose to change up your food choices and be adventurous and buy something different each week. 7.    EAT IN SEASON Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best choice. If not available, then frozen is your next choice. The only time you ever want to eat fruits or vegetables from a can is if YOU canned it yourself. Canned foods, even though they may not taste salty contain lots of sodium. Sodium is a preserving agent. So even if a label says low sodium, you can guarantee the benchmark of what was a normal amount of sodium to start is still too high. 8.    DO NOT ADD ANY SALT TO ALREADY PREPARED FOODS We will probably be eating something preserved, prepackaged or processed every day. With that in mind, you probably are already getting more than enough sodium. Too much sodium causes water retention and high blood pressure, so purpose to adjust your taste buds. Do not add any salt from the salt shaker to any of your foods. Lemon-pepper is a good substitute, or use any sodium free herbs and spices blends. Mrs. Dash has several of these, as well as several sodium free marinades as well. 9.    CONSIDER YOUR CONDIMENTS Be careful of hidden ingredients, especially fats and sugars. You could get a whole day’s worth of calories from some of the things that you put on or in your food. Condiments like mayonnaise, sauces, syrups, and salad dressings, such as Caesar and especially the very popular Ranch -even vinaigrettes if they are cloudy; if they are clear they are a safer choice. Your condiments can add an incredible amount of excess calories in very small amounts. 10.    WATCH YOUR SERVING SIZES If you did not change or cut out anything you are currently eating, only cut back by a fraction of the amount you usually eat, you would probably see your scale move down by 2 pounds in one month. So instead of a large bowl of cereal have a half a bowl. Instead of a large glass of juice, drink a half a glass. Instead of a whole sandwich, eat a half. Instead of 20 chips, eat 10. When going out to eat, put half of your entrée in a To Go box right away, before you begin to eat, or better yet, share with someone, after all, isn’t sharing a meal with someone much better than eating alone anyway?]]>