No doubt you’ve made some type of resolution for the New Year, such as resolving to exercise more, eat healthier or lose weight.   Sounds exhausting!  Rather than biting off more than you can chew, try these simple and fun tips for making small changes toward a healthier you that will stick.

• Switch from refined grains to whole versions (in bread, tortillas, cereal and pasta). This simple change can trim your waistline by adding more fiber and health- boosting nutrients.
• Pour kefir (a liquid yogurt) on your cereal rather than milk for probiotics, which strengthen your immune system and may help control weight gain.
• Use a smaller dinner plate at meals as a way to use visual cues to cut back on portions sizes and effortlessly save more than 100 calories per meal.  
• Avoid unwanted calories when dining out by eating ½ your entrée. Split your main dish with a friend or take home the other half as leftovers for the next day’s lunch or dinner.
• Establish an earlier bedtime so that you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep nightly. Studies show that not only does sleep lower stress levels, but it may also curb appetite and aid with weight loss.  
• Boost your fitness, cut stress and be good to the environment all at the same time by making one day a week a “bike- or walk-only” day rather than using a motor vehicle.  Bike or walk to work, to school and to run errands.