Hi, I wont bore you with funny words that mean nothing.  I wont try to give you calorie counts and I wont tell you that you will look like a super model if you follow these simple tips to help you live a healthier life as well as look and feel a little better.

I also wont tell you that I am the healthiest person in the world, that I get my recommended amount of fruits and vegetables either because really I don't.  I love to eat, I love food that taste good but I also know that it is really easy to make a few minor adjustments to your diet to help you live better.

I am not a certified dietitian, I am not a health nut, I am not all caught up on the latest trends, I don't believe in fasting and I know that some of the alternatives I eat are probably not the best idea either.  Everything I will tell you is from experience. 

While I only weigh about 110lbs.  There were times when I was up in the 130's.  It might not sound like a lot to you but I am also only 5'2 so an extra ten/twenty pounds on a small frame is a lot and according to my BMI a healthy weight for me is about 115.  So I don't really sacrifice a lot to maintain a healthier life but do make some minor adjustments to keep my weight down and to feel better.

Cut out the condiments! 

Try substituting your mayonnaise with mayo made with canola or olive oil.  At the natural foods markets you can buy them for about the same if not cheaper than buying the name brands at the regular market.

I use light mayo made with canola.  I do consciously chose when and how much fat I want in my diet because if I didn't I would shrivel up into nothing and that is just as bad as being over weight.  So using a mayo that has healthy fats in it such as olive oil or canola oil is a good alternative and honestly, it doesn't taste any different then regular mayonnaise.

I don't really use a lot of other condiments except for hot sauce which I use instead of ketchup, Sarache hot chili sauce is awesome, it might be a little hot for some folks though.

No soda! Yes, a few years back I went on a soda binge and noticeably gained a lot of weight. So I stopped drinking soda and started drinking more water and when I want a soda I drink diet.

Water is so good for you, if you only knew! For whatever reason it gives you an energy boost and of course it quenches your thirst, makes your skin look better and regulates your entire system. Water, water, water!

Drink a glass of water before your meals. If you didn't know, then you will know now that often times when you feel hungry, your body is not really hungry but it needs water. I think the mistake that a lot of people make is assuming that when your tummy grumbles, you must need food. Not always the case, so when you get hungry (obviously if you haven't eaten then you are probably hungry, lol) drink some water first and see what happens.

Now with that said, if you are actually hungry for food, you have already drank your glass of water before you meal which will naturally help you eat a more appropriate sized meal. And just keep in mind. They say that when you are eating, you should stop at the first yawn. Anything consumed after that is extra that your body doesn't need.

You have to trust you body. K!

I might get shite for this but hey, what can I say. 

Unless a chicken breast is cooked to perfection, I don't like it.  I like chicken thighs much, much better.  But hold on!  Before you cook those yummy chicken thighs, pull all the skin off it first. 

This is true for any meats, you really want to get as much of the skin and fat off of it before you eat it.  These are sticky fats, bad fats.  The easiest way to tell a good fat from a bad fat is to do the solid test.

When a fat cools and becomes hard, it's bad.  Like Crisco and real butter, but if it stays a liquid, it is probably okay. I can't say all oils/fats that stay a liquid at room temp. are good for you but I do know that the fats that turn into goop when not hot are bad... artery cloggers.

Drain it.

The stores have what they call lean hamburger or alternative "buger" like meats such as ground turkey or 98% less fat ground beef. Well, I tell ya, there is still a lot of fat in the meats so you have to drain the fat from it before you add your other ingredients.

I like to add my salt and pepper to my meat while I am cooking them and then drain the fats before preparing the rest of my meals. And this might help you become more conscious of doing this if you put the fat in a jar. In a couple of hours or so, it turns to lard... just think about that being in your body.

Draining the fats from you meats does not compromise the flavor. In fact, doing so makes your foods taste better because you can actually taste the meat not the fat.

When it comes to pasta.

I know Martha says that you shouldn't rinse your pasta but I strongly disagree.  You have to rinse the pasta to get all the starch off.  Plus, when you rinse it you don't have to add more oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking after it is cooked.

Alternatively, whole wheat pasta is amazing but you have to find a good brand.  Some of them are too grainy or take forever to cook.  I like Vons/Safeway Organics pasta in the green and orange package.  These cook up like regular pasta but are so much better for you. They taste and feel like regular pasta so the only difference besides it being better for you, is the color.

Go on, try it at least once.  It cost slightly more than regular pasta but not that much.  Usually I only pay about 50 cents more so it really isn't a hard switch.

Sugar substitutes and coffee.

I am a total coffee drinker. I drink a lot of coffee.  I cannot live without it. However, I use a sugar substitute such as Sweet n Low ( not really good for you but if you have been using it and you are able to metabolize it then you would know by know whether or not it is negatively effecting your health) Equal, Spenda ( me and Splenda don't agree) Stivea or honey are sweet but not recommended if you are pregnant.

Drink it black and use low or none fat milk or creamers.  I know it isn't exactly Starbucks but at least you save money and can shed some of those extra pounds.  Oh and just because you cut out some of the unneeded calories in your diet doesn't mean eat more.

Take it slow.

Scarfing down meals as if someone is going to take it from you is bad news.  It's bad on your digestive system, causes gas, cramps and stomach aches but mostly; when you eat too fast you don't give your body enough time to tell you when you are full. 

I don't know about you but I personally hate the feeling of being full.  I like to be satisfied yes but not that lazy, tired feeling you get from eating too much.  So slow down, your food taste better that way anyhow.

It's mental.

If you believe that you are sacrificing anything then you will never make it work for you.  Instead, just go and buy the darn canola mayo, or just buy the lean ground turkey and keep sugar subs. in your cupboard. 

If you aren't thinking about it, then you wont even notice.  I know because I did this to my boyfriend.  He had no idea I was substituting healthier alternatives and draining fats, and switching pastas on him.  Yet he never fails to praise me on how good the food is and because he is the kind of guy who always goes for seconds.  I feel better knowing that at least what he is putting in his body is better for him.  Now if I can just get him off the sweets...

Get some exercise.

You don't have to do a whole lot to make a difference. This is what I tell everyone who ask me how I stay so thin when I am like a total pig. I say, "take a walk".

I love to take walks by myself and with my family. I like to get out of the house and take in some air, get the blood flowing. I am not talking about running marathons or speed walking and not exactly turtle pace either. Just a normal walk. Walk around the block a couple times, look at the world around you. Sort through some thoughts, gain peace of mind. Do it for you, do it for your mental health.

Your mental health has a hell of a lot more to do with your weight than nearly everything that I have listed. To my knowledge, being mentally unhappy is the cause for poor diets and or over eating. I have seen people who hardly eat gain a lot of weight just because they aren't happy.

If you truly don't believe me, watch The Biggest Loser. Nearly every single one of the contestants became over weight because of their mental health. You really have to change the way you feel about yourself to really make a difference. Part of this means taking time to get to know yourself, your feelings, what is really eating you?

There isn't anyone in the world that can change your life for you. Family and things etc. these are things that add to your happiness but truly, the only person who can make you happy is yourself. I am not suggesting that family doesn't make me happy or you happy but I am saying that when you are not happy, even having a happy and supportive family around you who love you and want to help you wont do any good unless you can change from the inside.

Don't fast.

If this is part of your tradition, then of course do your thing but other than that, fasting is not healthy. Fasting leads to over eating and a plethora of eating disorders. Plus, you might lose five pounds in a week but it all comes right back as soon as you put something and your body.

Your body does a survival mode thing when you fast were instead of burning calories or fat, it takes the nutrients away from your muscles and turns your muscle into fat and it makes you tired and sick.

So, don't think of dieting as dieting. I don't even think about what I am doing half the time because I just made these small insignificant adjustments to my diet that the just become a natural order for me. And because I know what goes into my body, I also know that there are times when my body is saying, "Sandy you need more fat, eat a friggin burger" and I do.

I am not the kind of person who will just up and give up eating all the foods that I love but I am the type of person who only wants to live a healthier life. If you are in need of more alternatives because of diabetes or other health issues or just really want to make a lot of adjustments for you and your family, pick up a cook book filled with healthy alternatives.

Will you lose a tone of weight in a month? You wont but over time yes, yes you will and if you are not obese and in need of some serious intervention, slowly cutting the fat our your diet is better in the long run because it stays off and new eating habits become first nature.