Note: please consult with a doctor or physician before starting a new eating plan

Start the New Year off with good nutrition by incorporating the following tips.

1. Match your plate portions to your fist. For the average female, the size of a fist represents an appropriate portion of food. At main meals, aim for a fistful of starch (potato, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole grain cereal or bread) with a fistful of protein (low-fat yogurt, milk or cottage cheese; soy foods like tofu; skinless poultry; or fish) and two fistfuls of color (fruits and vegetables).

2. Do not skip meals. Eating 3 meals and 2 to 3 sensible snacks will help keep you full throughout the day. This will also help prevent overating at the next eating occasion.

3. Eat your largest meal at breakfast or lunchtime. Countless studies have shown that individuals consuming their largest meal in the morning or early afternoon lose weight quicker than those who raid the kitchen in the evening hours. Why? Activity levels tend to be higher during the daytime hours, allowing calories to be more effectively used for energy rather than storage as fat. In the evening, our metabolism naturally slows down as we prepare for sleep.

4. Eat a rainbow of color each day. The pigment that makes a fruit colorful contains a multitude of health-enhancing nutrients and antioxidants. Aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

5. Do not deprive yourself of foods you love. Research shows that depriving yourself of foods that you love can lead to unhealthy binges. So go ahead, it’s okay to occasionally allow yourself small portions of these favorite treats, no matter their nutritional quality.

6. Limit refined flours and added sugars. The majority of carbohydrates Americans consume are highly refined or loaded with added sugars. Take the time to check food labels to try and limit how much refined sugar you eat.

7. Consume more “heavy” foods. Appetite-control researchers have found that our brains may monitor how much we eat based on the weight of the food rather than calories. If a food is light but high in calories, it’s easy to consume 1,000 calories without feeling satisfied. Yet, when eating heavier low-calorie foods, you’re more likely to stop eating after just a few hundred calories. For example, at 300 calories, are you more likely to feel satisfied with a couple handfuls of potato chips or five oranges?

8. Do not fear fat. Including small portions of healthy fat or monsaturated fat sources such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olives and fish oils at each meal or snack provides a feeling of satiety and helps to prevent overindulgence at any one sitting.

9. Stay hydrated. Without adequate amounts of water throughout the day, you will be less efficient at burning calories. Furthermore, dehydration is the number one nutritional cause of fatigue, a symptom that often leads us to overeat or ditch our planned workout for the day.

10. Move before munching. Try and slip in a quick workout—a walk, a run, some calisthenics—before eating a large meal. Not only does the exercise rev up your metabolism so that you’re burning calories more efficiently, it also tends to help reduce your appetite so that you end up eating less.

Kim Mueller, MS, RD is a registered dietitian who provides nutrition counseling and custom meal planning to active individuals worldwide. More information on Kim’s services can be found at www.kbnutrition.com.