Day 9

Learn to love fruit.

When you reach that point in the afternoon when you just need something to get yourself through the rest of the day, try an apple or banana or orange. Fruit is low fat, low salt, high potassium, high fiber and generally good to eat. Eat as much as you want.

You have to teach yourself to eat fruit, as most of us are imprinted on grabbing a pastry or cookie when we are hungry. Eating fruit seems like a chore. You have to wash it, peel it, rinse your hands and face after eating it. So much easier to wolf down a brownie. You need to make fruit a habit.

One trick with apples, for instance, is to quarter and peel them rather than eating them whole. When I offer one of the kids a whole apple it’s like “Whatever Dad. “ But if I peel it and quarter it and present the fruit in small bowl it’s like “Thanks Dad! “ The same works for adults. Spend the one minute it takes to wash, quarter and peel the apple, and then enjoy a filling, healthy snack.

Fruit is free; eat as much as you want.