A Dietitian's View

Deciding to live healthier is a choice, and thinking and eating healthier is a critical first step. Take a look the following "think rules."

• Food is fuel. It will make or break you. Eating healthy as a mostly-normal routine is critical. If you break your practice of eating for the purpose of energy, and find yourself eating emotionally, get out and exercise! Exercise more so you spoil yourself less with food and more with feeling good. When you feel good, you have better self control and will more often choose to eat for fuel instead of emotions.

• Food isn't more important than people. When you eat with company, talk to them! Remember that some of the best quality time you can have with family is around a meal. Not because of the food, but because of the focused attention on each other. Slow down, put your fork down and have meaningful conversations.

• Eat at home. Food doesn't have to be complicated. Just because you don't have meat defrosted and a recipe from the latest cooking magazine handy doesn't mean you can't eat at home. Throw together a sandwich bar or have breakfast for dinner. Both are still better than eating out!

• Food was different when you were a kid. Remember this when you eat for reasons other than true hunger. Though many people grew up differently around food, meal time is almost always different as an adult. As a kid, eating just wasn't as important. Sure, when hunger struck, the refrigerator raiding happened, but it was mostly to satisfy a growling stomach. Try to disconnect yourself from food, and realize that it doesn't satisfy emotional needs more than temporarily.