By Miranda Frazier

It’s a challenge for anyone to eat well, especially when so many people sit in front of computers with so few exercise. As we’re all trying to protect ourselves in an unstable economy, it’s easy to work too many hours and go for the convenient sugar-laden drink or snack just to keep going.

Here are some basic tips for eating smart:

• Brown-bag your lunch instead of grabbing fast food with your coworkers.
• Keep track of your exercises and meals.
• Consider the “exercise equivalent” of what you are eating.
• Only eat half of each meal when you eat out.

• Brown-bag your lunch instead of grabbing fast food with your coworkers. Even though it may take a few minutes of prep time, making your own lunch is one of the best things you can do to eat healthier. You’ll save money—and calories—and usually end up having more energy throughout the day than if you ate a carb-heavy meal.

• Keep track of your exercises and meals. Most people find they are more able to stick with healthy habits if they write something down daily. Using something like our Health & Fitness Tracker and Menu Planner/Shopping List are perfect for the job.

• Consider the “exercise equivalent” of what you are eating. It’s not easy, but you’ll get a true perspective on what your food “costs” you in calories. For example, if it takes you 30 minutes to burn off the 200 calories of candy bar, you can look at the candy bar and ask yourself if it’s worth 30 minutes of exercise.

• Only eat half of each meal when you eat out. Today’s “super-sized” restaurant portions are often two or three times more than a proper serving. Make it a habit to divide the food on your dish as soon as you get it, then take the rest home for leftovers. At the very least you’ll get another meal, you won’t overeat, and you won’t have to prepare anything for the next day’s lunch. Or, if you don’t want a doggie bag, order from the restaurant’s appetizer menu.

There are many things you can do to have a healthy diet, but the most important of all may be to make sure you pay attention to everything you eat. Temptations abound at the office, at the grocery store, and even at home. Eating healthy is a commitment to yourself that you must remake daily. The good news is that once you get into the swing of it, you’ll feel better and look better—and that makes your days better!