The New Year is upon us. Many of us resolve to eat a healthier diet. Here are some tips.
It is essential for healthy eating that we make good food choices. Here are some suggestions:

1. Do you plan your menus ahead of time? So many of us are busy. If we can plan our meals ahead of time, we can better make healthy choices. If you do shop, don’t go hungry. You are more apt to make impulsive choices for junk food and end up eating it in the store!
2. Research has found that when water is mixed in with food, it is more filing and you eat less. Foods such as stews and fortified soups filled with goodies such as vegetables and broth can help you to eat less, eat healthy and lose weight.
3. It is important to have at least 4 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. They can be very filling. You can eat them as part of your meal or as a snack. If you eat raw veggies as a snack, it is fun to take them and dip them in low fat, low cal dressing. If you get gas from the vegetables, try beano, it works!
4. If you have a sweet tooth, satisfy it with fruit. Apples are a great choice. They contain pectin that helps you to feel full longer as well as provide great fiber.
5. If you start your meals with a healthy appetizer or soup, you can decrease your meal portion size. This will help you to feel full and allow you to decrease your overall calorie intake throughout the day.
6. Eat the majority of your calories early in the day. A study of Israeli women divided a group of almost 100 women into two groups. One group ate their largest meal at breakfast. The other group ate the majority of calories at dinner. Both groups ate the same number of calories (1400). After 12 weeks, the breakfast group lost 9 pounds and the dinner group lost 4 pounds.
7. Finally, eat mindfully and slowly. It takes about ten minutes for your brain to catch up with your stomach.

Follow these simple tips and you will be able to have a healthy year!