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Consumer-tested Messages/Tips

• Split an order of fries with a friend.
• Enjoy a single-scoop ice cream cone instead of a double.

• Crack open a cookbook and try a new recipe each week.
• Stash packets of instant oatmeal and some juice boxes in your desk.

• Take a brisk 10-minute walk on your lunch break.

• Take a brisk 10-minute walk on your lunch break…and you’ll feel good and have more energy, too.

• Love the taste of whole milk? Balance it out with lower-fat foods such as reduced-fat cheese, low-fat sour cream, or fat-free salad dressing.

• Try fun snacks such as fresh fruit kabobs dipped in your favorite fruity yogurt, or baked tortilla chips with zesty black bean dip.

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Tips

• Cut down, not out – that could mean smaller servings or less frequency, you make the choice.
• Aim for progress, not perfection – your diet may need small changes, not a total makeover. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
• You can eat the foods you love – just don’t overindulge.
• Substitute, don’t subtract – look for ways you can make smart substitutions to trim fat, rather than focusing on foods to avoid entirely.
• A higher fat food has its place – you may want to eat it less often but there’s no need to eliminate it altogether.
• Be choosy – find a way to fit in favorite foods and forego extras.

• Share the experience—split dessert with a friend or take half home to enjoy the next day.
• For a snack, fruit-flavored yogurt or chocolate pudding taste great and also provide bone-building calcium, too.
• If you enjoy chocolate, try packing a snack-sized chocolate bar in your well-balanced bag lunch.

• Choosing sweet treats in single-serving packages can help manage portion sizes.
• A snack-size treat is a good size for a smaller tummy.
• For younger children, serve up just the right portion with kid-size bowls, cups, and plates.
• Set an example. Order a small to medium soft drink instead of an extra large, and skip the refills.
• Sometimes, allow your child to choose a sweet treat during your weekly shopping trip.

• Make meal planning a game: Team up with your children to plan dinners that include at least one fruit and vegetable serving. Help them choose dessert, if you decide to have it.
• Pack your kids a well-balanced lunch that includes their favorite treat.
• Milk and sweetened cereal are a welcoming after-school snack—sweetened or unsweetened, you make the choice.
• Banning sweets can backfire. When you allow kids some sweet treats, they’re less likely to overdo it.
• Chocolate- or strawberry-flavored milk encourages even picky kids to drink up.

Make small changes over time in what you eat and the level of activity you do. After all, small steps work better than giant leaps.

• Park your car in the farthest spot. You'll walk more and burn extra calories.
• For lower-fat chili or tacos, put cooked ground beef in a strainer and rinse briefly with hot water. Drain well and continue with your recipe.
• To save calories and fat, use a cooking spray instead of oil to sauté foods.
• For a refreshing treat and a calcium boost, snack on fruit-flavored fat-free yogurt.
• Check the vending machine for lower-fat goodies like pretzels, bagels, low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit and skim milk.
• Shopping on the run? Choose products that say "low," "high" or "reduced" on the label — these terms are easy to see and mean what they say.

Expand your tastes to enjoy a variety of foods.

• Try a fruit or vegetable you haven't had before. Make it a monthly goal.
• Enjoy a meal at a Thai, Indian or Japanese restaurant.
• Prepare one new recipe each month from a favorite magazine or newspaper article.
• Dig into a different grain: couscous, bulgar, or quinoa, for instance.
• Pick up a food you don't normally buy each time you grocery shop.
• Try imaginative low-fat snacks such as fruit kabobs with low-fat yogurt or air-popped popcorn lightly seasoned with herbs or cheese.
• Strive to eat the number of servings recommended from each of the food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid.
• Choose an entree that is grilled or broiled.

Go ahead and balance what you eat and the physical activity you do over several days. No need to worry about just one meal or one day.

• Eat a lighter breakfast and lunch to plan for "pizza with the works" for dinner.
• Don't pack on extra pounds on your vacation. Work in plenty of walking, biking, hiking or volleyball to balance out special vacation meals.
• Did you splurge on a "soup to nuts" special occasion meal? No problem. Eat lighter and move more for a few days afterwards.
• If you don't want to give up whole milk, balance it out with lower-fat food choices you like.
• No need to track every food you eat. But, for foods you eat often, check %DV (daily value) column on food labels and balance high fat food choices with low-fat ones.
• Enjoy a quick game of tennis or golf with a friend before dinner.

Enjoy all foods, just don't over do it.

• Slow down! It takes 20 minutes for your brain to send the signal that you've had enough to eat.
• Enjoy your steak twice as much. Eat half in the restaurant and take the rest home to enjoy the next day.
• Have one helping and enjoy every bite.
• Make your ice cream cone a single, not a double dip.
• Add calcium to your daily diet the food label way — 20% DV is an excellent source.
• Serve your snacks on a plate to control the amount you eat rather than eating straight out of the bag.

Walk the dog, don't just watch the dog walk.

• Set your goal at 30 minutes of moderate activity most days. In 10-minute increments, it's easy.
• Take a brisk 10-minute walk on your lunch break. You'll feel good and have more energy, too!
• Hop off the bus a few blocks early and walk briskly the rest of the way.
• Keep active around the house: sweep the garage, scrub the floors, vacuum the rugs or trim the shrubs. It all helps you get fit—and the house will look great, too!
• Try a fun new activity! How about ballroom dancing, roller-blading, ice skating or line-dancing?
• Get energized! Take a brisk 10-minute walk in the morning, at lunch and after dinner to total 30 minutes a day.
• Climb the stairs instead of riding the elevator. You'll be more fit without adding additional time to your fitness routine.