How many times have you said to yourself, I really want to eat a better, healthier diet? How many times have you tried and failed? I'm not referring to a diet to lose weight (although that would probably naturally follow), I'm talking about a healthy eating plan.

Perhaps you simply want to eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables. Perhaps you need to lower your blood pressure, cholesterol or glucose levels. I am not a nutritionist, nor am I qualified to give anyone medical advice. I CAN however encourage you in your quest for a healthier lifestyle.

What are your goals? The only way to reach a goal is to have a plan and be ORGANIZED about it!

If you simply say, I want to do this or that and then go off to the grocery store and buy the same things you usually do or (GASP) find yourself in the fast-food drive thru yet again, you will never be able to make those changes you want to make.

I think it's also very important that these be changes YOU WANT to make. You're looking to improve your health, body and mind FOR YOU. You can't just be looking to please someone else or your doctor. If you don't buy into it with positivity, you will likely not succeed.

Share your food/eating goals with me no matter how big or small. I'm a firm believer in making SMALL changes (like our baby steps) and once you've incorporated those changes successfully, continue to make other changes. If you're a meat and potatoes person with a sweet tooth and decide you're going to go vegan and cut out all sugars in one fell swoop, I'd guess you'll fail.

Set yourself up to succeed. Maybe you'll decide that you want to have a small green salad with your meals 5 days a week. Look for something unhealthy that you can eliminate from your current food plan. Maybe you'll want to stop drinking soda and drink water instead. I stopped drinking soda over 2 years ago now and usually drink regular water but with my dinner, I like to have a sparkling water or club soda with a squeeze of lime for a bit of a change. Now that it's warmer out, I will make freshly brewed iced tea, unsweetened with a squeeze of lemon.

The current goal for our family is a drastic reduction in consumption of meat and increased intake of vegetables. I think we already do that more than most but it's now an important focus for us. My daughter is a vegetarian and it will also help her add different items to her diet.

Rather than just saying we want to do this, I have made lists of vegetables I'd like to buy and have started meal plans for the week. The key is being ORGANIZED.

What are your goals and what will your plan be? Join in please!

Come on...we have 8 views and no joining in!

Okay....I will be the first to join in.

I am going to try to add an extra piece of fruit or vegetable to every meal this week.

Tina, That's a fantastic goal!

Last night we had baked sweet potatoes (in the skin like a regular baked potato), sauteed zucchini and snow peas with garlic.

Tonight we had the other sweet potato (they're quite large), sauteed bok choy, mushrooms, snow peas, zucchini and I had a 1/4 of chicken breast. DH had 1/2 of a chicken breast and I have the other 1/4 that's left for lunch tomorrow with some of the vegetables.

Saturday night we were out to dinner but Friday night I made a nice lasagna (no meat) and a huge salad.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we had large salads. I made one enormous one on Tuesday and we had it for a few days. Spinach, romaine (just a bit), red cabbage, toasted pecans, fresh mozzarella, fuji apples, zucchini, cucumber, snow peas and on the side, a 1/2 sourdough roll.

I love sweet potatoes Kim you made my mouth water with those recipe ideas

My goal is to eat at least 4 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. I know the advice is 5, but the plan is to work up to that with mindful eating.

To help with this intention to eat more healthily I have gone back to doing a weekly meal plan. This is so much better for me, and prevents us buying take aways when I do not know what to cook.

One of the best parts of these veggie meals? Once I put the sweet potatoes in to bake - the rest took mere MINUTES to prepare!

Just went to Costco and bought:

Carrots
Fresh mozzarella
4 lbs organic quinoa
asparagus
2 large bottles of pomegranate juice to make smoothies
Butter lettuce
6 avocados
fuji apples
strawberries
red peppers
sugar snap peas


also bought ground turkey to make black bean, corn & turkey chili with cilantro.

The quinoa is for a black bean, quinoa and avocado salad with parsley, cilantro, tomato, red bell pepper.

Can't wait to get in there and cook some of this.

Way to go Kimberly!

I know that May and June are going to be difficult with getting alot of fresh fruits and vegetables (still up north).

I managed orange juice at breakfast, yogurt and a wrap at lunch, broccoli at supper, and Mandarin orange segments for a snack tonight.

Menu plan done for the week and grocery shopping done. 4 fruit and veg goal was met yesterday with a salad, mixed vegetables, grapes and pizza with a huge amount of veggies on

Since I am going grocery shopping today, this is an awesome idea. By having the required foods in the house, it is much easier to prepare healthy meals. My grocery list includes lean meats as well as fresh fruits and veggies.