2.    Plan your meals. Yes, circumstances change during the week, and it may not be possible to live up to a schedule made in advance. But outlining your goals for weekly food consumption serves a few purposes – it helps your budget, makes you aware of your potential calorie consumption and sets up a schedule where you can better plan your time. You plan your work, school activities and other important tasks. Why leave such a vital decision as your food consumption to last-minute activity or chance?

3.    Cut back on processed foods. It’s not easy to avoid every bit of processed food in your life, particularly if your schedule makes it hard to expansively cook. But not having crackers, cookies, sugar-laden canned sauces and fatty pre-packaged food easily available can lead to better choices, and stops you from merely reaching out and consuming because it’s within reach. This is part of meal-planning – take some time to decide how long it will take to prepare an alternative to canned, frozen or pre-packaged. You may be surprised at how much of a difference just a few minutes of focus can bring.

4.    Distracted eating.  Yes, multi-tasking is a wonderful thing, and may be necessary in a world filled with endless “to-do” lists and little time to relax. But watching television, fiddling with your computer or smart phone, or talking on the telephone while eating takes your focus off the amount of food you’re eating.  It’s also a perfect opportunity for family time, that increasingly rare bird that never seems to alight on your kitchen table. When planning a meal, try to incorporate at least a few times when everyone in your household might be able to join together and spend the 20 minutes it takes for most meals to enjoy each other’s company.