Plan for Good Food Choices

Plan ahead for good food choices and make use of every opportunity. It's easier to eat vegetables with ready-to-eat produce options, such as pre-washed bagged salad greens and peeled baby carrots.

You may save time and money by bringing to work a low-calorie frozen entree to pop into the microwave, or raw vegetables and fruit from home. You can build more physical activity into each day by taking a five-minute break to walk around.

As you go through your day, watch for opportunities to walk more. Use a pedometer and add a few extra steps each day. Many people gain weight because time for eating a balanced diet and being physically active are a lower priority than work or other activies.

Nothing is more important than your health, exercising, and eating right. Get your priorities straight, and you can create time to take care of yourself.

To avoid confusion and indecision, set clear goals to help keep yourself organized. For example, eat an apple a day. Take the stairs. Have a salad for dinner. Make a shopping list. Cook dinner.