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Instructions: Pick one goal each week that you feel confident you can modify in your diet for years to come. Every week, record date of commitment by goal. Share your goal with those close to you and put a note of your goal on your refrigerator so you are more likely to succeed. Eat smaller meals throughout the day (Rationale) Eat a snack during the time you are without food the longest during your waking hours Eat small meals every 2.5 or 4 hours throughout the day Plan 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks distributed throughout the day, every 2.5 to 4 hours If eating less than 3 meals, eat an additional meal Introduce breakfast by drinking milk, fruit or vegetable juice Add an additional food to breakfast Eat cereal for bedtime snack instead of a high fat snack food Prepare extra for meals so leftovers are on hand Plan time for preparing a nutritious lunch or snack for hard to get away times Slightly decrease portion sizes of your largest meals Eat more fiber (Rationale) Eat 100% whole wheat instead of white bread Add beans or steamed or raw vegetables to any meal Eat a green salad every day Eat fresh fruit for dessert or a snack Eat oatmeal or other higher fiber cereal for breakfast Stock up on frozen vegetables and fruits so they are always available Add raw spinach leaves to salad for more nutrients Add a vegetable to a meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner Add vegetables to omelettes, pizza, sandwiches, stir frys, and other recipes If you find it hard to eat vegetables consider vegetable juice, gazpacho, or juicing vegetables in a machine. Purchase pre-cut veggies and salad mixes for convenience Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily; keep a tally of servings eaten Reduce sugars (Rationale) Consider substituting table sugar with raw local honey, raisins, dates, or real maple syrup until sugar can be reduced and possibly even eliminated. Consider consuming 100% fruit juices instead of soft drinks until they can be reduced or even eliminated Juice your own fruit with a juicer machine. Consider adding vegetables the mix. Substitute vegetable juice for fruit juice Instead of soft drinks, drink lower sugar or no sugar beverages eg: milk, vegetable juice, water, etc.) Progressively decrease the number of sweets eaten throughout the day then decrease the number week eaten each week then only eat occasionally possibly only in social situations Substitute traditional desserts with fruit based desserts Reduce hidden sugars by examining ingredients on food labels Choose healthier fats Increase omega-3 fatty acids Eat other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids daily Eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week Eat more grain feed meats Choose wild caught fish and shrimp over farm raised Decrease consumption of omega-6 fatty acids Check ingredients on food labels Decrease use of cooking oils high in omega-6 fatty acids Do not exceed smoke point when cooking with oils Consider use of coconut oil, organic broth, or water Ask your server what cooking oils will be used in preparing your dish See Comparison of Dietary and Cooking Oils Consider using olive oil (high in monounsaturated fat) instead of bottled salad dressing and other oils Also see homemade salad dressing recipe Avoid trans fatty acids Avoid margarine (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils). Instead, consider using small amounts of olive oil with optional salt and garlic powder When baking, use butter instead of shortening Avoid restaurants possibly using trans-fats Reduce hidden trans-fats by examining ingredients and nutrition values on food labels Eat lower fat foods (Rationale) Eat lower fat cuts of meat (See meat exchanges) Choose milk with lower fat (2%, 1%, 1/2%, Skim or non-fat) Choose lower fat cheese (mozzarella, low fat cheese) Plan to eat healthfully 6 days a week and only higher fat foods one day a week Substitute plain yogurt for mayonnaise in your chicken or tuna salad Decrease sandwich spread or salad dressing by progressively adding plain yogurt Reduce hidden oils by examining ingredients on food labels See Fats Exchanges and counterpoint Appetite control Eat a snack before lunch or dinner to reduce the tendency to overeat Keep a food journal of the quantities of all food eaten Rate appetite after each meal or snack: 1) Very Hungry, 2) Hungry, 3) Satisfied, 4) Full, 5) Very Full Eat just until comfortable (rating of 3), leave food on plate if necessary Check your diet periodically using computer diet analysis software Weigh food and serve pre-determined portion before sitting down to eat Limit the number of times you eat out at restaurants Eat before being around processed snack foods (eg: party, shopping, etc.) Agree to do extra exercise if you eat more than you had planned using a caloric expenditure and calorie content database or table Planning Write weekly menu with accompanying shopping list Keep shopping list (with pen or pencil) conveniently located in kitchen Prepare foods the evening before and refrigerate for the next day