“You are what you eat”. We have heard that saying a million times before but now more than ever these words ring true. If you eat high fat junk food everyday with no healthy items you’re on the fast track to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease just to mention a few. Nutritionists claim that healthy eating is smart eating. This means it’s not just what we eat but how we eat it. With the right food choices you can really lower your chances of contracting the above mentioned ailments and lead yourself to a better healthier lifestyle. Let’s examine some of these healthy choices.

1: Baby Steps-start slow and gradually change your diet

You don’t have to turn into a Vegan overnight – or at all if you don’t want to.

I believe you can start your “diet revolution” with a number of small easily managed steps. Gradual changes now will promote huge results later.

At first don’t worry about counting calories or weighing your food instead find the foods you love and look for healthy alternatives. Small changes like eating 2 more salads a week (with no fatty dressings) or using Olive Oil instead of butter can gradually change your diet to a more healthy taste filled one.

2: Shrink your portions

Today everything is super-sized. This is fine for a salad but bad for a calorie laden trans fat meal. Try this instead. At a restaurant do not order an entree, try a healthy appetizer instead. If you want to order the entree perhaps you could split it with a friend, or take the other half home with you.

Remember your protein serving (meat, fish, poultry) should only be the size of a pack of playing cards.

3: It’s not what you eat it’s how you eat it

We all have to learn that we need to “eat to live not live to eat” Food is the fuel for our bodies and a sensible approach including a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in our daily diet will help with our goals.

Nutritionists say that the brighter and deeper colored fruits and vegetables are the highest in their concentrations of vitamins and minerals.

Do not forget your good carbohydrates and fiber foods also. Whole Grains in particular. Whole Grains are invaluable in fighting bad cholesterol and strengthening the immune system.