Keep your daily calorie intake to a reasonable amount. Find out how many calories you need for your age, gender, activity level and your personal weight goals (i.e., do you want to lose, gain or maintain your weight?). If you want to lose weight, consult your health care provider for a safe calorie goal and eating plan. Working with other certified advisers such a dietitian, fitness professional or wellness coach can help support you as you work toward your goals.

Enjoy your food but eat less. Take time to fully enjoy what you are eating. This is called mindful eating. Eating quickly or not paying attention to what you eat, known as mindless eating, can lead to eating too many calories.

Keep portion sizes of food to a reasonable and recommended amount. 

Try to eat more of these foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and some low-fat dairy products. Try to make these the basis for your meals and snacks rather than meats and other high-fat and non-nutritive foods.

Dedicate half your plate at meals to fruits and vegetables. Fruits, vegetables (and grains) offer important vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Most have little fat and no cholesterol. They also contain fiber to help with digestion and prevent constipation. Research shows that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables may help lower cholesterol and blood sugar and prevent heart disease.

Try to make at least half (or preferably all) your daily grains whole grains. Foods made from whole grains are a major source of energy and fiber. Learn to read food labels so you can identify which grains are truly whole grains.

Select leaner sources of protein and try to use more plant-based proteins in your meals and recipes. Protein foods include animal sources (meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products) and plant sources (beans, peas, soy products, nuts, seeds).

Cut back on less healthy foods. These are foods high in saturated and solid (trans) fats and added sugars and salt, such as cookies, ice cream, candy, sweetened drinks, and fatty meats like bacon and hot dogs. These foods generally provide a lot of calories and minimal, if any, nutritional benefit. Have these as occasional treats but not every day.

Reduce your sodium (salt intake). Cut down on using canned, packaged and frozen processed foods. If you are buying these items, use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods. High-sodium restaurant meals are also another significant source of added salt to one’s diet.

Rethink your drink. Drink more water and other unsweetened beverages, instead of sugary and other high-calorie drinks. Soda, sweetened juice, energy and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar and calories in many American diets.

These small ways to improve your nutrition will improve your health and reduce your risk of heart attack, coronary heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, several cancers, and more.