Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness then it should be easier to make healthy choices.

Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart.  Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.  As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry.

During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day keeps your energy up and your metabolism going. Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets.

Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions. A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.