Smart food choices daily will help you look and feel your best. If you are exercising and making the wrong food choices your body will still not give you the energy you are looking for. Even the act of exercising starts with good nutrition. Muscles cannot function properly without being fed properly; so, the basics of women’s health must start with good nutrition.

#5: Don’t skip meals. There is consistent evidence that people who skip meals, especially breakfast, are more likely to be overweight. Eat a healthy breakfast within one hour of getting up. Avoid fast food breakfast meals – they are loaded with fat, sugar, sodium and calories. Pack healthy snacks like nuts, dried fruit and cheese sticks when you know it will be difficult to stop for food during the day.

So, with just a few basic ingredients on hand you can be on your way to a healthy 5-minute breakfast with virtually no clean up afterwards. And don’t forget, lower cholesterol, healthier heart, stabilized blood glucose and improved digestion.

Don’t encourage high fat or high sugar snacks before bedtime. Unhealthy snacks should not be encouraged really at all, except for special occasions. But they are especially bad for you right before bedtime. This is the worst time to be consuming unhealthy foods. Making this a habit over time can cause un-wanted weight gain, not to mention disturbances in sleep patterns. And remember. Parents set a good example for your kids and practice what you preach.

Do you know that you can even add veggies to some of your favorite food items like pizza? Who doesn’t love pizza? You can make a healthier version by putting peppers, olives, onions and mushrooms.

Watch out for sugar-free items. These products and several sweeteners consist of as many or more calories as the real sugar items. Don’t be misled by them! If you really need to have some sugar, you are best taking in the actual sugar than this fake sugar.

Most people get into trouble at Thanksgiving dinner by eating full speed ahead until they finally realize that they are full (after their second and third helping). The trouble with this method is the lag time in communication between your stomach and brain. You probably satisfied your hunger with your first plate of food, but your stomach takes a while to get that message to your brain. And during that lag time you took the opportunity to go for your second and third plate of food. This year sit calmly in your chair after that first plate and wait at least 20 minutes before getting seconds. You will be surprised to find that the thought of more food doesn’t sound good anymore – and you will have saved yourself unnecessary weight gain.