Break out of a Diet Rut

Sure, eating the same meals week after week is easy and time-efficient, but it might not be the best thing for your diet. After a while, even the meals that were once considered favorites can start to become less appealing. And when this happens, it's more likely that you'll reach for additional food to feel satisfied—and that can easily lead to overeating. So instead of letting yourself fall into a food rut that leaves you less than excited about eating—and possibly even a bit heavier—try these tips for adding variety without too much effort.

1. Get creative. You don't have to visit specialty stores or order hard-to-find, exotic ingredients online. In fact, you can look no further than what you already have: Sometimes it's the times when you have little in the house that you are the most creative with a meal. That's because when all your standard ingredients are gone, you're forced you to branch out. Instead of picking out the first thing you see in the refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets, make sure you take an inventory of what you really have. Then ask yourself how you could make a meal out of it. For example, have quinoa that you used once in a recipe but never again sitting in the back of your cabinet? Make a quinoa veggie pilaf using any chopped fresh or frozen veggies that you have left.

2. Keep an "I like it" recipe database. It only takes a few minutes to look up recipes online. There are so many quick and easy options that there are no excuses! Simply make it a goal to look up one or two new recipes each weekend. If you're a member of TheBestlife.com, you have access to lots of delicious, quick, and healthy recipes in the recipe database. Other great places to find recipes are Eatingwell.com and Cookinglight.com. Keep the recipes that get a "thumbs up" in a binder, recipe box, or in a file on your computer. Continue building that database and then when you go to make your shopping list, remember to refer to it so that you don't forget to include in your weekly shopping list the ingredients you'll need to make one or two of the recipes.

3. Swap some of your staples. Most of us have a pretty standard set of items that we buy each week, and in many ways this works to our advantage as long as we're choosing foods that can be used in multiple ways. But don't let this become an excuse to have the exact same shopping list each week. You should switch out certain items, especially ones that end up being accent foods. For example, if you normally buy two types of cheese (one for sandwiches and one for salads or pasta) try switching the types that you purchase (instead of feta buy gorgonzola). The same goes for things like nuts or nut butter; if you always buy walnuts, try pecans. This might prompt you to change your traditional grilled chicken salad with the same old veggies to one using toasted pecans, blue cheese crumbles and apple slices.

4. Visit a farmers market. There's no better place to get seasonal ideas than your local farmers market. Pick up produce, meat/poultry, herbs, etc,. and brainstorm creative ways you can incorporate them into a meal (ask the farmer for some suggestions; he'll probably be more than happy to share). Even through a single season, the crops that are most available change, so you may never eat the same thing twice!

Your Three-Step Plan for Getting Back on Track with Healthy Eating

Ever made one bad eating choice that led to another…and another…and another? Before you knew it, you were so far from your regular healthy-eating routine that you weren't sure how to get back on track. Maybe your schedule changed and you weren't prepared with a backup plan for healthy eating, or perhaps you had to take an unexpected trip or deal with a family emergency and were left with no time to exercise—whatever the cause, it's important that you pinpoint it so you can prevent it in the future. Just as important to your success: Figuring out how to stop the spiral, pick yourself back up and get on the path to your health and weight loss goals once more. The sooner you do this, the easier it is, so remind yourself that you can't change the past, and start focusing on the future. These strategies can help you get going:

Step One: Forget about food.
When you're not making healthy choices, it's often a result of feeling lousy about yourself or a specific situation in your life. At first, eating a few things that might not fit into your plan–cookies, chips, fried chicken with fries—seems harmless enough, but emotions can get in the way of your usual inhibitions; you may not have the willpower or desire to limit yourself to only a few bites or an indulgent meal or two. And soon, you're bingeing on all of these once off-limit foods, which you now think you deserve. The result: You feel even worse about yourself. I once had a client explain her thinking this way "I eat initially because I think it will make me feel better, and then because I feel badly about failing at my diet, I just keep eating things I know aren't good for me because I don't feel that I deserve any better. Before I know it, it's like I'm at the point of no return."

The solution: Forgetting all about food, at least for a while. You might think being really strict with your food is the best way to get back on track, but I've found the opposite is true. So find a non-food way to make yourself better: Start by wearing clothing you feel good in, taking pride in your appearance by getting your hair or nails done, going to a spa or even giving yourself an at-home facial. When you do something that makes you feel great on the outside, it's likely your eating habits will follow suit.

Step Two: Make one small switch.
It usually takes just one positive change in your eating behavior to trigger a ripple effect of additional positive changes, said Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab in Ithaca, at a recent nutrition conference I attended. So after you've completed the first step, turn your focus back to food, and make one healthy-eating decision. For instance, go to a farmers market and buy fresh ingredients to make a gourmet salad or stir-fry. This simple act serves as a powerful reminder that you deserve to treat your body well.  

Step Three: Get rid of all-or-nothing thinking.
When you're in a downward spiral, it's easy to think in terms of going all out. For example, "If I'm going to eat fast food or pizza anyway, I'm going to have as much as I want." What you fail to acknowledge in this thinking is that there is a middle ground. For instance, there is a huge difference between eating one or two slices of pizza with a big salad on the side and eating three or four (or more) slices; or ordering a small hamburger and small fries versus a deluxe burger with a large fries and a soda. In other words, when you acknowledge this middle ground, you can indulge in heavier fare without dooming your diet and falling into a spiral. Show yourself that you can control your cravings by eating one of your craved foods in a small amount—once you do it, you'll know you can do it again. 

The Rookie Diaries: The Top 8 Reasons to Use a Weight-Loss Meal Plan

As I type this, I am snacking on cheese. You know why? Because I'm not following a meal-plan. If I were following a meal-plan, I would have eaten my carefully calibrated 100-calorie treat for Sunday night and would be finished munching for the night, because the plan says so, and because I would know that I'd taken in enough calories for the day and that my body truly doesn't need more. I'm hyper-aware of this fact because I've just finished—for the first time in my life—a week-long, super healthy, slimming meal-plan. (I'm temporarily day-lighting as a magazine editor and tested out a meal plan for one of their upcoming articles.) I lost five pounds, painlessly.

What took me so long to see the light? It wasn't for lack of knowledge or effort. As a journalist who writes about nutrition, I'm familiar with what works. I've pieced together what I believed was a top-shelf concoction of strategies: cutting back on portions, eating more veggies, stepping up my exercise, saying "no" to dessert, not arriving hungry at the grocery store or happy hour. Despite the fact that my self-styled dieting behavior hasn't always yielded tangible results, I've enjoyed the freedom of going it on my own. I have always resisted the iron-clad restrictions of following a specific weight-loss meal plan, afraid it would turn me into a calorie-obsessed, uncreative eater, or that I'd be forced to endure tasteless, tiny morsels that comprise a joyless plan designed by a stern dietitian in a white lab coat whose greatest thrill in life is to ban cheese from my life.

Well, I stand corrected. I shudder to think of the pounds I could have left behind decades ago by just following instructions! Of course, it has to be the right meal-plan: It should be delicious, nutritious and provide enough calories to keep you full while reigning it in enough to create a calorie deficit. It should be designed by an R.D. or M.D.—or at least vetted by one—and fit your lifestyle. (The Best Life meal plans meet all these criteria, by the way.) Once you find that perfect-for-you plan, here's what you can expect to gain…and lose.

1. You will lose weight. Seriously, if you follow the plan—no cheating, no adapting it to include your beloved three-cheese lasagna, no over-measuring or under-achieving—you will eat less and drop pounds. It's a scientific fact, and it's a beautiful thing to behold when you test the theory. The Best Life meal plans offer six different calorie levels, so matter what your gender, activity level or current weight is, you're sure to find a calorie level that will keep you satisfied but still help you peel off pounds.

2. You will learn that 1 teaspoon of olive oil is about 1/16 of the amount you normally use. This was an epiphany to me. I'm half-Greek, so I think it's my cultural right to use olive oil generously, and magically not get fat. Yes, it's a great source of good fats—but I've been ignoring one of the two words in italics.  One teaspoon of olive oil has 40 calories, and 1 tablespoon has 120 calories. A good-quality olive oil will go a long ways, and 1 or 2 teaspoons is all you need to dress a salad (along with some vinegar or lemon) or sauté chicken or veggies.

3. You won't stress out about what you're going to eat for your next meal. You know that feeling when you come home from work, you're tired, you're stressed, so you call in take-out or snack for two hours straight on whatever is in your cupboards? Won't happen on a meal-plan. You will have planned to have the ingredients on-hand for your prescribed dinner (you will have taken the chicken out of the freezer to thaw or skipped the extra drink at happy hour so you can get home in time to cook). I won't lie—the planning is work and takes time. But with the plan's ingredients in your fridge and cupboards, you've already won half the battle.

4. You will learn new recipes. Some of these recipes you'll love, others not so much. But by the end of the week, you will have at minimum a handful of new, yummy, slimming favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Admit it: Your current repertoire is getting old and could stand some new additions. Why not learn how to cook meals within a meal plan that's designed for weight loss?

5. You will realize that losing weight and being hungry do not have to go hand-in-hand. The only time I was hungry was at night, right before bed, during the hour I plop myself down on the couch and normally snack my way into a coma while watching reality TV. This doesn't even qualify as hunger—it's a craving tied to an ingrained habit. If the diet you're following includes no more than 30 percent of calories from fat (about 53 grams on a 1,600-calorie plan), with no more than 10 percent from saturated fat (about 16 g); about 20 percent of calories from protein; and the rest healthy carbs, you'll discover that you won't need more calories to feel satiated.

6. You will realize you've been gulping down a meal's worth of calories in the form of beverages. The plan didn't build in a caloric allotment for drinks other than skim milk. So I cut out juice, alcohol (OK, one night I drank two white wine spritzers) and soda. This was hard, because I am a juice fiend! I normally mix all manner of berry- and citrus-blend beverages with seltzer throughout the day. But I didn't miss it much on the diet, partially because I was eating plenty of whole fruit and getting my fix that way. I probably shaved off 200 calories a day on drinks alone.

7. You'll finally, finally recognize the importance of a healthy breakfast. Yes, you've heard it a gazillion times: it's the most important meal of the day. Well, this plan forced me to eat 400-calorie breakfasts with plenty of protein. The first few days it was hard because I'm normally not hungry in the a.m. But because I wasn't night-snacking, I was waking up with a healthy hunger. At work, I wasn't truly hungry until lunch because I'd had a filling breakfast, and so on and so on. The domino effect of a hearty morning meal could not be denied and accounted for a large part of the diet's success, in my opinion.

8. You won't have to worry you're not getting all your nutrients. If your plan is designed or co-created by a dietitian (they should have the letters 'R.D.' after their name), you're golden. Dietitians are programmed to build nutritionally balanced meal plans. They live for that moment when milligrams of this nutrient and that nutrient add up to the RDA and they can declare a diet "nutritionally sound!" You really couldn't do better yourself, so why try? I never ended a single day of my diet with the concern that I'd skimped on calcium sources or missed my fiber target. I felt confident that I was a walking, breathing advertisement for the Food Pyramid. Lose weight and get all your nutrients? It's a win-win (or rather a lose-win). You could say that I'm a meal plan convert now. Next up, The Best Life meal plans!

The Rookie Diaries: A Tale of Two Diets—Which Has More Sodium?

We've been hearing that salt is a bad guy in our diets for decades—it's even one of Bob's four "Foods to Watch out for." The white stuff has been linked to high blood pressure, stroke and cardiovascular disease. In fact, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports that 100,000 lives could be saved by simply reducing our sodium intake. The IOM is so concerned, that a month ago they petitioned the FDA to impose limits on how much salt food companies and restaurants could add to their products (experts say most salt comes from food eaten outside the home and in processed foods, not from the salt shakers on our table—though my own experiment, below, didn't exactly bear that out).

So how much is too much? According to the IOM, most of us should cap our intake at 2,300 mg a day (about 1 teaspoon), the amount that The Best Life Diet recommends as well. But the average person consumes 3,400 mg to 4,000 mg!

To check my own consumption, I tracked my intake for two days: On Day 1, I ate mostly home-cooked meals; on Day 2, I ate out or cooked using mostly processed products. Read on to see what I learned.

DAY 1
Breakfast
1 cup cooked steel-cut oatmeal (266 calories, 2 mg sodium), pinch of salt (150 mg sodium), ¼ cup blueberries (21 calories, 1 mg sodium) and 2 cups coffee (4 calories, 10 mg sodium), each with ¼ cup one-percent milk (55 calories, 63 mg sodium)
Calories: 346
Sodium: 226 mg

Lunch
Gazpacho: 3 small tomatoes (33 calories, 9 mg sodium), 1 cucumber (24 calories, 4 mg sodium), ½ bell pepper (12 calories, 2 mg sodium), ¼ red onion (7 calories, 1 mg sodium), 1 tablespoon olive oil (119 calories, 0 mg sodium), 1/4 teaspoon salt (581 mg) and 1 slice Rudi's Organic Bakery bread (90 calories, 180 mg sodium) with 1 ounce Parmesan (111 calories, 454 mg sodium) and 1 cup store-bought lemonade (120 calories, 0 mg sodium)
Calories: 516
Sodium: 1,231 mg

Snack
¼ cup salted pumpkin seeds (169 calories, 232 mg sodium) and 1 peach (58 calories, 0 mg sodium)
Calories: 227
Sodium: 232 mg

Dinner
4 spears grilled asparagus (12 calories, 0 mg sodium), ½ zucchini (33 calories, 16 mg sodium), ¼ onion (7 calories, 1 mg sodium) cooked in 1 teaspoon olive oil (40 calories, 0 mg sodium) and 1/2 teaspoon salt (1162 mg sodium) with 6 ounces grilled chicken (284 calories, 192 mg sodium) marinated in 1 tablespoon mustard (32 calories, 57 mg sodium), juice of ½ lemon (8 calories, 0 mg sodium), 1 teaspoon olive oil (40 calories, 0 mg sodium), 1/4 teaspoon salt (581 mg) and 5 ounces white wine (119 calories, 0 mg sodium)
Calories: 575
Sodium: 2,009 mg

Dessert
1 ounce dark chocolate (168 calories, 0 mg sodium)
Calories: 168
Sodium: 0 mg

TOTAL CALORIES: 1,832
TOTAL SODIUM: 3,698 mg


DAY 2
Breakfast
2/3 cup Nature's Path Organic Whole O's cereal (110 calories, 115 mg sodium) with ½ cup soymilk (50 calories, 68 mg sodium) and 1 slice Rudi's Organic Bakery toast (90 calories, 180 mg sodium) with ½ teaspoon butter (34 calories, 27 mg sodium) and 2 cups coffee (4 calories, 10 mg sodium), each with 1/4 cup one-percent milk (55 calories, 63 mg sodium)
Calories: 343
Sodium: 463 mg

Lunch
Pret a Manger Avocado and Herb Wrap (461 calories, 627 mg sodium) with 1 Coke (140 calories, 45 mg sodium)
Calories: 601
Sodium: 672 mg

Snack
¼ cup salted pistachios (174 calories, 125 mg sodium)
Calories: 174
Sodium: 125 mg

Dinner
Amy's frozen individual cheese pizza (420 calories, 720 mg sodium) served with a salad made with 1 cup lettuce (4 calories, 7 mg sodium), 1 sliced tomato (11 calories, 3 mg sodium), 5 olives (35 calories, 375 mg), 1 teaspoon olive oil (40 calories, 0 mg sodium), 1 teaspoon vinegar (1 calorie, 0 mg sodium), and a pinch of salt (155 mg sodium)
Calories: 511
Sodium: 1,260 mg

Dessert
1 mini original Pinkberry frozen yogurt with chocolate chips (190 calories, 50 mg sodium)
Calories: 190
Sodium: 50 mg

TOTAL CALORIES: 1,819
TOTAL SODIUM: 2,570 mg

The results: I'm getting way too much sodium—regardless of whether I cook at home or rely on take-out or packaged foods! The most sobering discovery is that I'm a bigger offender than the food companies when it comes to salting up my food. I had NO idea that a measly ½ teaspoon of table salt contains 1,162 mg of sodium—that's nearly 2/3 of my day's limit!

The good news is that some of my favorite foods are low in sodium—my breakfast cereal, one-percent milk, Pinkberry (yay!), chicken and many of Pret a Manger's sandwiches (though not the one I ate on Day 2). Plus, I have control in my kitchen, and can opt for low-sodium, reduced-sodium or no-salt-added versions of  popular food items whenever possible. (Tip: Unsure whether a product has too much sodium? A good rule is to ditch it if it has more sodium per serving than it does calories.)

And cutting back on salt doesn't mean cutting back on taste. For instance, vinegar is a great way to enhance the flavor of any dish, from salad dressings to sauces. And the addition of fresh and dried herbs allow you to dial down the sodium. Another tip from The Best Life's own Sidra Foreman: Don't add salt while cooking. Instead, do it right before you eat—the salt will taste more intense and you'll need less. Finally, if I lower my salt intake gradually, I won't even notice the difference! Research shows that when participants lowered their salt intake by 25 percent, bit by bit over a six-week period, they didn't notice when a product had less sodium in it.

Let me know if you have any tips for dialing down the sodium in your diet without losing the flavor!

Rookie Diaries: Solving the Protein Puzzle

For something that comes so naturally to us, there sure is a lot to keep in mind every time we eat. A burrito, for example, isn't just spicy, gooey goodness wrapped in a tortilla—it's also a mix of proteins, fats, carbs, and nutrients, all of which have different effects (positive and negative) in our bodies. So eating—while pleasurable and necessary—is also a bit of a brain-teaser. You want the numbers to add up to "healthy."

For me, the equation is a cinch when it comes to carbs: I simply toss a nice mix of whole grains, fruits and veggies into my cart. I know I'm getting enough and getting the right kinds. I also don't get worked up over fats; we only need a little anyway, and I always make sure I grab some low-fat dairy (I looooove full-fat cheese, but try to keep it in check because nutritionists view it as more of a fat than a protein) and stick to healthy-fat foods like nuts, avocados and olive oil. But protein is another story. It's the wild card in my diet—I never really know how much I'm getting, and because I don't eat a lot of meat, I'm constantly worried if I'm meeting my needs.

I know protein is satiating, and that getting enough at each meal is key to feeling full, curbing cravings. And I have a general sense of which foods are protein-rich (dairy, nuts, meat, fish, eggs). I also know I'm supposed to choose lean protein, like low-fat dairy, poultry and fish. Beyond that, I'm clueless! How many grams am I taking in? How many grams do I need? Am I over, under or just right?

To get an accurate snapshot of my protein intake, I tracked my protein grams for a day. Experts say that protein should make up anywhere from 10 percent to 35 percent of your calories—and the Best Life plan falls at a nice middle-ground, at approximately 20 percent. That works out to about 75 grams on the 1,500-calorie plan, and 90 grams on the 1,800-calorie plan. My theory was that I wasn't getting enough, especially because I didn't eat any meat or fish on this particular day. Were my instincts right? Below, the big reveal!

Breakfast
Homemade breakfast burrito: 2 small corn tortillas, ¼ cup canned veggie chili, 1 egg, scrambled, 2 tablespoons part-skim mozz; 2 cups coffee, each with ¼ cup one percent milk
Calories: 400
Protein grams: 17.5
Biggest protein players: The egg and the milk

Snack
1 ounce dark chocolate
Calories: 50
Protein grams: 1

Lunch
Best Life snack: 2 Wasa crispbreads topped with 2 tablespoons ricotta, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 2 teaspoons jam; 1 orange
Calories: 454
Protein grams: 16.3
Biggest protein players: The peanut butter, by far, followed by the Wasa crispbread (surprise!)

Snack
1 ounce Parmesan cheese
Calories: 111 calories
Protein grams: 10

Dinner
1.5 cups wild rice, 1 cup steamed broccoli topped with 1.5 tsp olive oil and juice of ½ lemon; 1 ounce dark chocolate
Calories: 500
Protein grams: 15.5
Biggest protein player: Wild rice, with a whopping 10 grams!

Late-night snack
Corn tortilla with 1 ounce melted cheese
Calories: 191 calories
Protein grams: 7.9 g

DAY'S TOTAL CALORIES: 1,706 calories
DAY'S TOTAL PROTEIN GRAMS: 68.2 g

The Results: At 68 grams, I'm getting 16 percent of my calories from protein (there are 4 calories in 1 gram of protein), which is in line with general recommendations (although a bit low for The Best Life plan). But the big surprise is that the quality of my protein isn't up-to-snuff. Here are the changes that Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist, recommended I make:

"Although your total daily protein is within the recommended range, not all of the protein is high quality. By that, I mean protein that delivers all the 'essential' amino acids—the ones our bodies can't make. You're doing great with foods like eggs and milk, which are excellent sources. Cheese delivers as well , but it also comes with a lot of fat and salt. But you kept portions in check, so I'll let you slide! Where you got tricked a bit was with the wild rice. Yes, it's got a good dose of protein, but the protein isn't very high quality, skewing to certain essential amino acids and skimping on others. A little chicken, fish or tofu added to your dinner would have filled in the gaps perfectly."

Surviving a Slipup

We're probably all guilty of letting a single diet slipup turn into an entire day, or (gasp!) weekend, of dietary debauchery at some point or another. And as you know, not only will this tip you over the scales calorie-wise, but it can also drain your motivation.  

No matter how good we are or how driven we are to achieve our goals, what we must all realize—and accept—is that there are going to be occasions when you stray from your usual healthful meals and snacks. But here's the good news: It's not these single occasions that are to blame for stalled weight loss or missed goal weights—it's what you do after a dietary mishap that makes the difference.  

Let's talk about the two ways a slipup scenario can play out:

You find yourself having an unexpected cookie in the break room at work (maybe you're feeling low on energy or just can't resist because it's your favorite kind!) That cookie will probably set you back anywhere from 80 to 130 calories, depending on the type, size, etc. Once you eat that one cookie, you're really tempted to go for a second one, and even though you know you shouldn't, you pop it in your mouth and head back to your desk. At this point, you're likely feeling pretty guilty. 

Here's where you have two choices: You can chalk up the cookie incident as a small slip-up (about 200 calories worth), remind yourself that you enjoy treats more when they're planned and eaten slowly, and continue on with a day consisting of a healthful lunch, balanced mid-afternoon snack, and dinner.

Or, you can let the guilt zap your overall healthy eating motivation and allow yourself to indulge and overdo it the rest of the day. Once you give yourself the green light to splurge, you're going to rack up way more calories than had you limited it to just your small slipup. Plus, you're likely to feel even worse the next day, which will make it that much harder to get back on track.

If you simply accept the fact that small slipups are inevitable and they don't have to lead to an eating free-for-all, it's easier to get over them and get back on track when they do occur. And think of it this way, when you have a slipup in other areas of your life, you usually pick yourself up and keep moving forward, right? For instance, if you were to oversleep by 15 or 20 minutes in the morning, you wouldn't just say, "Oh well, I guess I'll just go back to sleep and not go to work or not get the kids off to school." These things just aren't acceptable when other people are depending on you, so why should it be when you're depending on yourself to live your Best Life?

What You Can Learn about Dieting from Your Computer

Your diet and your computer have a lot in common—I discovered this surprising similarity while on the phone with Dell's computer technical help this past weekend, after my computer crashed. Five hours–and more money than I wanted to spend on my computer–later, I was back up and running. In addition to a patched-up PC, I left that call with the realization that many of the things you do to keep your computer working properly can also be applied to living a healthy lifestyle. Check out these PC pointers, which you can use to slim down and shape up:

1. Support is key.
Computers can crash at any time (this, I learned the hard way). If it ever happens to you, you have two choices: You can either feel helpless and frustrated, or you can turn to support to fix the problem. Similarly, when you're trying to live a healthier life, you're sure to face your share of bad days. Instead of throwing in the towel, you can rely on your support system, like family members, friends or TheBestLife.com, to get you back on track ASAP.

2. Backup saves the day.
Backing up your data on an ongoing basis is crucial, as any number of hazards, from viruses to spilled coffee to accidental deletions, can wipe out all your important info in a flash. In other words, you're planning for the worst so you're ready for it if it ever does happen. Likewise, having a backup plan for healthy eating and/or fitness is also essential. For instance, if a work meeting runs late and causes you to miss your favorite class at the gym, you can turn to plan B: Walking around the parking lot or climbing up and down the office stairs to get your cardio in, rather than skipping it altogether. Forget to pack your lunch or don't have time? Have a couple of nearby health-friendly restaurant options ready. Or, if you tend to snack out of boredom at night, create a list of activities that you can turn to instead of hitting the fridge.

3. You have to be willing to take care of your investment.
I had to spend some time and money in order to get my computer fixed, but it was so worth it. (When it came down to it, fixing my computer set me back a lot less, and probably took less time, than buying a new one.) The same goes for maintaining a healthy lifestyle: You have to be prepared to invest–time, money, or both–if you want to see positive results for the long haul. But it, too, is worth it! Being a healthier, happier you means money and time saved in other areas of your life. For example, paying a monthly fee for access to resources and ongoing support from a site like TheBestLife.com or investing in a gym membership will save you health care costs in the long run.

4. Pay attention to maintenance.
If you want your computer to run well–and be consistent–then you need to do some routine maintenance. Checking for viruses, deleting files or programs you no longer use, even keeping it clean and free of dust, can all help add years to the life of your computer. You can apply this thinking to your diet, too. Maintain the progress you've made so far by: Keeping a food log to find out where extra calories may be creeping into your diet or to pinpoint the situations that lead to overeating; planning out your meals and snacks on the weekend, so you can stock up on supplies; subscribing to a health blog (like this one)for ongoing ideas and motivation; stepping on the scale regularly to keep tabs on your weight.

Your Road Map to Success

It's that time of year—most of us are setting new health and weight loss goals for ourselves. No matter what your intentions are, the one thing we know well is that there's more to reaching your goals than simply setting them (though that's certainly a great start).

To achieve all your goals this year, you'll need a plan, and we'd like to help you create a road map to success. Think about it: You wouldn't head into a meeting or presentation without doing a little preparation first. Well, the same goes for eating well and exercising regularly—if you want to be successful, you must  prepare. Whenever we give a presentation or speech, we use this simple five-step plan to get ready. We've done some translating here, so you can use it for eating well, working out or whatever your goal is. Here's to making 2010 your best year yet!

1. Know your audience.
Health equivalent: You are your audience, so determine what your weight and health goals are and set a time for how long you have to achieve them. Write them down; this simple act makes you more accountable, and it serves as a powerful reminder of your goals.

2. Work backwards: What will you need to give your audience to meet their needs/wants?
Health equivalent: Think about what smaller actions will be necessary in order for you to meet your larger goals. For example, if your ultimate aim is to dine out less, then regular grocery shopping trips, preparing your lunch the night before work and planning out weekly meals are smaller steps that will help you get there.

3. Make an outline of the major points you will need to address.
Health equivalent: Create an exercise calendar that allows you to fit in exercise even when you're busy with work and social activities. Make a note of the healthy meals and snacks you'll make for each day of the week, and then create a shopping list so you'll have the food you need put these meals and snacks together.
 
4. Practice your presentation.
Health equivalent: Now that you have a road map, put it to use. Practice fitting in a walk at lunchtime, packing a lunch, bringing an afternoon snack, grocery shopping on the weekend, etc. It might feel a little strange or different from what you're used to at first, but the more you do it, the more normal it becomes. Eventually, it will  even feel like a natural part of your everyday life. 

5. Adjust your presentation based on what worked/didn’t work when you practiced.
Health equivalent: Adjust your exercise plan, grocery shopping, and meal/snack preparation to work smoothly with your schedule. For instance, if you planned to cook dinner at home every night of the week to cut back on dining out, but you frequently travel for work, you'll need to make some changes. You could plan ahead and find healthier restaurants for when you're on the road and you can also keep your kitchen stocked with healthful food so you can cook when you are home.

Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D

You've probably heard a lot about vitamin D (aka, the sunshine vitamin) lately. Actually, because we can make some in our bodies with exposure to sunlight, it's not even really a vitamin, but rather a hormone. Getting enough vitamin D is important for many body functions, including proper calcium and phosphorous absorption to help keep bones and teeth healthy.

Currently, the recommendation is to get 400 IU per day. However, recent research suggests that we may need more, and the recommendation may be increased in the near future. That's because low vitamin D levels may increase the risk for certain diseases, like diabetes and multiple sclerosis, and 400 IU might not be enough to offer protection from these conditions. (Be sure to check with your doctor before taking more than the recommended amount of vitamin D.)

Below, I've outlined the four ways we get vitamin D. Keep reading to learn how you can get more of this key vitamin.

1. Get some sun. You need at least 10 to 15 minutes of direct sun, without sunscreen (which prevents any vitamin D from being made), two to three times a week to make enough vitamin D. For people living in northern latitudes, the wintertime provides a challenge because the sun is not strong enough for the skin to make enough vitamin D. Plus, dermatologists warn against any exposure to the sun without sunscreen. The bottom line: It's not realistic for most people to get enough vitamin D this way.

2. Go fish. Fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna are not only loaded with omega-3 fats, but they're also some of the few richest natural food sources of vitamin D. Salmon ranks highest, with about 90 percent of your daily vitamin D needs (360 IUs) per 3.5-ounce serving. Mackerel, sardines, and tuna are also great sources with just slightly lower amount per serving.  

3. Eat fortified foods. A cup of milk (fat-free or one percent is best if you're watching fat and calories) provides 90 IU of vitamin D. Some brands of yogurt, orange juice, and cereals have also been fortified with vitamin D; check labels to find the D content of these foods.

4. Take a supplement: If you can't get enough vitamin D from your diet and you don't get out in the sun much, a supplement can help. Most multivitamins and calcium supplements offer 400 IU, so you could take either one of these. If you are an older person (as you age, you don't absorb vitamin D as well and you're more at risk for  osteoporosis) or dark-skinned (the darker your skin, the less vitamin D you make in your skin), doublecheck that you're getting enough from your diet and/or supplement. 

For more on healthy-eating, check out TheBestLife.com.

Tricks for a Healthy Halloween

Reaching into that candy dish is fine—as long as you're doling out those sweets to trick-or-treaters, and not yourself! Don't let Halloween and all its luscious goodies sideline your diet. Instead, try these tricks to treat yourself right during this candy-filled holiday.

Buy treats you don't like. The Halloween holiday can be an excuse to stock up on your favorite candy. Why tempt yourself? Instead, grab a bunch of candy that you don't even like, and you won't be reaching for it. If you do end up with a bag that contains your favorite candy, be sure to give those out first so when Halloween's over, you won't have them lying around.

Skip the sweets. Who says you have to give out candy? Instead, opt for non-food treats, such as erasers, pencils, markers and stickers. If you'd rather hand out edible goodies, try healthier treats like packages of dried fruit or pretzels. Another good idea: If you'll be taking your kids door to door to trick or treat, shift the emphasis away from candy altogether by supporting a UNICEF drive; then you can collect coins instead of candy.

Indulge wisely. If you're going to splurge, be sure to look at the portion size and ingredients of the candies you choose; they vary greatly in fat and calorie content. And keep in mind that a single lollipop or a piece of hard candy can be enjoyed longer than a chocolate bar for fewer calories.

Party healthy—not hearty. Throwing a bash? Take advantage of many of the seasonal, festive foods including healthful pumpkin seeds, apples or popcorn.

For more healthy-eating advice, check out TheBestLife.com.