Tips on how to balance weight naturally

By: Nutritionist Julie Daniluk

Include vegetables in meals and in snacks. Fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables all count. When eating canned vegetables, choose those labeled as reduced sodium or no salt-added. Add dark-green, red, and orange vegetables to soups, stews, casseroles, stir- fries, and other main and side dishes. Use dark leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce and spinach, to make salads.

Focus on dietary fiber—beans and peas are a great source. Add beans or peas to salads (e.g., kidney or garbanzo beans), soups (e.g., split peas or lentils), and side dishes (e.g., baked beans or pinto beans), or serve as a main dish.

Keep raw, cut-up vegetables handy for quick snacks. If serving with a dip, choose lower calorie options, such as yogurt-based dressings or hummus, instead of sour cream or cream cheese-based dips.

When eating out, choose a vegetable as a side dish. With cooked vegetables, request that they be prepared with little or no fat and salt. With salads, ask for the dressing on the side so you can decide how much you use.

Eat a variety of foods from the protein foods group each week. This group includes seafood, beans and peas, and nuts, as well as lean meats, poultry, and eggs.

Eat seafood in place of meat or poultry twice a week. Select some seafood that is higher in oils and lower in mercury, such as salmon, trout, and herring.

Select lean meats and poultry. Choose meat cuts that are low in fat and ground beef that is extra lean (at least 90% lean). Trim or drain fat from meat and remove poultry skin before cooking or eating.

Try grilling, broiling, poaching, or roasting. These cooking methods do not add extra fat. Drain fat from ground meats after cooking. Avoid breading on meat and poultry, which adds calories.