21 Tips for Spa Living at Home

1. Start the day with a brisk walk.

2. Eat small portions of meals three times a day with healthful snacks between.

3. Limit late-night snacks to a small piece of fruit or air-popped corn.

4. Don’t have tempting high-fat, high-calorie foods around the house.

5. Do keep a bowl of assorted fruits in the kitchen for snacking between meals. Purchase the smallest available fruits from the market.

6. Fat-free or low-fat hot meat and vegetable broths make good midmorning or late afternoon pick-me-ups.

7. Measure the volume of your favorite glasses and bowls that you use daily so you know the amounts they hold. Sizes can be deceiving; your favorite glass may hold 1 1/2 cups instead of the 1 cup you think it does.

8. Make a habit of reading nutritional labels on products to compare fat and calories, even when the foods are alike. One brand of French bread may contain no fat per slice while a slice of another brand may contain 5 grams of fat.

9. Write down everything you eat for one month. It is very revealing.

10. Check the fat and calorie amounts of your favorite foods in a nutrition guide so you know what you’re eating.

11. Weigh pieces of meat and fish until you become familiar with portion sizes. Soon you will know at a glance if you’re eating a 3-ounce or a 6-ounce portion. Once learned, portion control is a snap.

12. Eat a variety of foods to expose your palate to different flavors and textures.

13. Use fresh ingredients when possible. A visit to a farmers’ market can be a great inspiration in planning healthful meals. After all, fruits, vegetables and grains are the best choices for a low-fat diet.

14. Stick to low-fat and nonfat dairy products.

15. Look for lean cuts of meat, white meat poultry and fish.

16. Take vitamin supplements.

17. Drink eight glasses of water per day to curb hunger and flush your system.

18. Use fat-free condiments such as low-fat mayonnaise, mustard, and catsup rather than butter and high-fat mayonnaise. Other foods for unlimited use (in terms of fat, at least) are pickles, capers, radishes, tea, fat-free broth and soy sauce.

19. A variety of fresh herbs plucked from the garden or from a flower pot on the balcony can do wonders to freshen the flavor of low-fat meals.

20. A squeeze of lemon or lime always adds a jolt of flavor.

21. Limit salt intake as much as possible. Too much salt will make you retain water. Dried herbal spice mixes sprinkled on foods add a lot of flavor and can eliminate the need for salt. Check labels for salt-free mixes.