I am on a roll today!  Here are a few suggestions to help some of you transition into making healthier choices.  One of the biggest challenges to eating healthier is finding substitutions for existing foods in your diet.  Here are a few ideas

• Use mustard instead of mayo on your sandwiches. You’ll get lots of flavor with much fewer calories and fat.
• Select whole wheat bread over white bread. Be sure to read the label to ensure you’re getting whole grains, not just colored white bread. Make sure the first ingredient is whole wheat flour...not enriched or bleached.
• Eat the white meat of turkey or chicken, which is lower in fat than dark meat, red meat and pork. Animal fat is the number one dietary source of unhealthy saturated fat.
• Start using lean ground beef, pork tenderloin or fish instead of high-fat cuts of meat.
• Change your cooking methods. Bake, grill or broil your meals instead of frying. Use non-stick sprays—or better yet, non-stick pans—instead of oil.
• Drink more water. Slowly reduce the amount of soda you drink and replace it with herbal tea or water. Aim for eight cups of pure water each day. Use tea bags in your water bottle....they will brew cold too!
• Don't drink your calories. Eat a whole orange instead of drinking a glass of juice, for example. Real food is usually more filling and more nutritious than juices, fruit drinks, and other high-calorie beverages.
• Serve sauces and dressings on the side. Dip your fork into the sauce, then dip your fork into the food. You’ll still have the flavor but with fewer calories.
• Gradually switch to skim milk. Milk commonly comes in four varieties: whole (4% fat), 2%, 1% and skim (0% fat). Gradually wean yourself from the higher-fat varieties to the lower fat milk every two weeks. For example: continue drinking your normal 2% milk for two weeks, then move to 1% for two weeks, and then your palate will be ready for the consistency of skim milk.
• Switch from full-fat cheeses to reduced-fat or fat-free cheeses the same way you would with milk (see tip above). Use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream....more protein and less sugar!
• Order vegetables on the side instead of fries. Flavor them with lemon juice or herbs instead of butter.
• Snack on fruit and nuts instead of sugary treats. The fiber, protein and healthy fats in this combo will sustain you to your next meal and you won’t have the energy slump that comes after eating candy.
• Reduce your portion size. Most people will eat whatever amount of food is in front of them, so start putting your meals on smaller plates. You will be just as satisfied because your mind "sees" that you’re eating a full plate of food.  Eat until you are NOT HUNGRY....not until you are full!!!

Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean deprivation. You don’t have to cut out your favorite foods completely—you just have to reduce the portion size and enjoy the treat by taking the time to savor it.  The first bite's the best anyway!!! By trying to eat the most nutritious foods possible, you are creating a healthy lifestyle that will help you reach your best weight. You deserve the very best!