Ask yourself, “where does this food originate?” If it comes from a package, it probably has ingredients you won’t recognize; That means, your body won’t recognize it either. Try to consume foods that are closest to where they originated.

Compared to what? Every time you are questioning if you should eat a particular food, always ask yourself: “Compared to what?” Is there a healthier, more nutritious option readily available? If so, take the healthier option.

The colors ARE the antioxidants! Bright colors in fruits and vegetables are the antioxidants that fight inflammation. Make sure to include a wide color palette of fresh fruits and veggies on your plate. 

When planning your meals, invert what you think of a "typical." Try eating breakfast foods at dinner (in smaller portions) and eating your dinner leftovers at breakfast. This is a simple and easy way to keep yourself from getting 'bored' and to make meal planning fun again.

Go one for one. Drink a cup of coffee and then a glass of water. Drink a glass of wine and then a glass of water. Alternate to make sure you are staying hydrated and consuming enough water.

It sounds strange, but you will drink more water if you like the container you're drinking from. So find the water bottle, cup, or jar that you WANT to use to drink.

Don't stop at lemons. Fruit and water go together like...peanut butter and jelly! Everyone gets tired of drinking unflavored plain water, so spice yours up by adding a few chunks of kiwi, an orange slice, or cucumbers. If you have fruit that is starting to go bad, chop it up and add it to your water bottle.

Before you eat, drink. Make sure you drink 8 oz of water before you eat a snack or a meal. Craving sweets? You have to drink your 8 oz. of water first.

Remind yourself that this is not an all or nothing situation. If you know you may skip your typical gym workout, schedule more movement throughout your day. Movement does not have to be done for a long duration or in special clothes. Try a short 5-minute circuit every hour in your office.

Create an environment in your home that stimulates fitness by keeping various pieces of fitness equipment in easy access for use: a pair of Gliding Discs in the living room, a stability ball in the TV room, and a Bender Ball in the kitchen. Also, post a list of exercises that only take a minute near all of the equipment in your home.

Change the happy hour routine. We tend to make plans that revolve around drinks and food. Instead, schedule movement meetings where you meet your co-workers or friends for a hike, try a new dance class, or even try a workout at home together.

Create a stand-up workspace. While work parties and the weather can damper your workout routine, you can still create movement and energy throughout the day by standing while you work.

Mindfulness is flowing with it. Mindfulness allows the ebbs and flows of situations to run through us without the rough edges. This is because we are not trying to manipulate the outcome as much as we are exploring the possibilities. We are not fighting against but doing just the opposite; we are flowing with it.

Being mindful is embracing our past experiences that have shaped who and where we are. But also trusting that this past doesn’t solidify the destiny of our future.

While at the grocery store, remember that you are the gatekeeper to what comes into your home. If you are trying to cut back on processed foods, then don't purchase any at the store. Don't use the excuse that it is an item for someone else in the family; if you aren't willing to eat it, why would you feed it to a loved one? You are the gatekeeper. You decide what is in your kitchen.

Your produce should be on your kitchen counter and on the eye-level shelf in the fridge. Nuts, seeds, and dried fruits like dates and figs should be in clear containers on your counters so you can see health snack options first, before ever opening the pantry.