Staying healthy is a key component to living a long and happy life. There are many aspects to both mental and physical health that can make it hard to maintain. You can improve your health in many ways, but it can be overwhelming to attempt all of these changes at one time. The best way to improve your health is by making small changes that you stick with. Over time, you can add new changes and build upon the old ones. By focusing on one or two areas on time, you can gradually improve your health.

Eat a balanced diet of foods that are high-fiber, healthy fats, low-sugar, and low-salt. A healthy diet gives you more energy and improves your outlook and moods. High-fiber diets help keep you regular, and lower your risk for stroke, heart disease, and diabetes, while excess salt can increase your risk for these complications. Sugar causes short energy spikes that can lead to a crash later. It has also been linked to depression and diabetes.

• Healthy fats can be found in foods such as fish, nuts, and avocados.
• Eat lots of leafy green vegetables. Kale, broccoli, cabbage, and other leafy greens are packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients.
• Whole foods such as fruit and vegetables have more than enough sugar to give your body what it needs.
• Limit your fruit intake. While fruit does contain essential nutrients, it is also very high in sugar. Eating too much fruit can be just as bad as eating a cookie.

Start your day with a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast. Eating breakfast every day is a must. Waking up and eating a filling breakfast helps you maintain concentration during the day, enhances strength and endurance during physical activity, and can lower cholesterol levels. Eating a breakfast high in protein and fiber will keep you full throughout the morning and help you avoid snacking. Fiber is also digested slower and helps you feel full longer.

• Eat lean protein such as eggs or a slice of salmon.
• Whole grain, high-fiber cereals can also keep you full through the morning.
• A hearty breakfast can also keep you from snacking before lunch. While snacking is not necessarily a bad thing, you want to snack smart. Eat a handful of roasted nuts or a small piece of fruit.

Keep a food log of everything you eat each day. Just the act of writing down what you’ve eaten can keep you from eating that extra candy bar. Keeping a log of everything you eat makes you aware of gaps in your diet or unhealthy foods you may be consuming too much of. Assess the foods you eat on a regular basis (every one to two weeks) and alter your diet as necessary.

• Find a logger that works best for you. Some may want to use plain old pencil and paper while others might find a website or phone app works better.
• Keep your diary nearby so you don’t have to go out of your way to log the foods you eat.
• Some food log apps include nutritional information that can also assist you in your logging.
• Be honest with your tracker. This food log is for you, so cheating only hurts you.

Read the nutrition labels on packaging. Foods containing hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup are not going to be good for you. Taking a second to read the ingredients list and nutrition facts will make you more aware of what you’re eating. Foods high in sugar and sodium should also be avoided.

• When reading the labels, note the serving size. At first glance, a food item might not seem that bad until you realize there are three servings in the package.

Cut up fruits and vegetables when you get home. A lot of fruits and vegetables get thrown out because they are forgotten about or you don’t take the time to prepare them right away. Cut up those fruits and veggies in the way you prefer to eat them. Keep them in a clear container at eye level in the refrigerator.

• When you are craving a snack and open the fridge to see what’s inside, you’ll see the fresh fruits and vegetables and reach for those instead of something unhealthy.
• This will also help you cut down on food waste.

Order groceries online to avoid impulse buys. Grocery stores are specifically set up to encourage consumers to buy things they wouldn’t necessarily have on their list. In addition, many of the items that appear to be a great deal have little to no nutritional value and are not good for a healthy balanced diet. If you find that you have a tendency to succumb to impulse buys, try doing your shopping online.

• Check to see if your local grocery store has an online ordering system.
• There are plenty of other online sources that allow you to shop online and have the groceries delivered directly to your door.