Start the new year right with a list of gentle mealtime reminders.

1. NEVER "DIET" Most diets fail. Just decide to develop some new, healthy eating habits.
2. CONTROL YOUR INSULIN Insulin is the storage hormone, and eating too many carbohydrates causes insulin to remain high, which encourages fat storage and discourages fat burning.
3. CALORIES COUNT, BUT DON'T COUNT CALORIES Eat slightly more carbohydrate grams than protein grams.
4. EAT PROTEIN IN EVERY MEAL AND EVERY SNACK-NO EXCEPTIONS This will moderate the rise in blood sugar and control insulin. Use lean or low-fat meats, dairy products, fish, soybean products, and eggs.
5. ALWAYS EAT PROTEIN FIRST. Protein means "to come first," so eat your protein first. Protein and fat slow digestion and help to control the rise in blood sugar. Protein and fat also aid in the control of appetite
6. CALCULATE YOUR PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS FIRST and then build your meal or snack plan around them.
7. EAT GOOD FAT IN EVERY MEAL You need "essential fats" to burn fat and create the super hormones of the body: nuts, seeds (raw, not roasted), avocados, fish oil, and supplements.
8. ALWAYS EAT BEFORE YOU ARE HUNGRY Plan ahead and every three hours.
9. EXERCISE-IT HELPS TO CONTROL INSULIN Approximately four hours per week of "conversational intensity" exercise at a minimum (not all on the same day).
10. SUPPLEMENTATION IS NOT AN OPTION if you wish optimum results and optimum health.
11. DRINK WATER Coffee, tea, pop, and booze don't really count. (Weight in pounds ÷ 2 = ounces of water per day.)
12. NEVER SEPARATE EGG YOLKS FROM WHITES What a waste of a natural resource! The cholesterol in your diet has nothing to do with the cholesterol in your blood.
13. DON'T WEIGH YOURSELF MORE THAN ONCE A MONTH Test yourself by how your clothes fit.
14. NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST It is your first opportunity to set the blood sugar pattern straight. By the way, coffee by itself will raise blood sugar by stimulating its release from the liver.
15. DO NOT STARVE OR SKIP MEALS The two quickest ways to slow your metabolism are to not eat and to not exercise.
16. EAT MORE SMALL MEALS AND SNACKS (following the rules, of course).
17. USE LOW "GLYCEMIC INDEX" FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Glycemic Index or GI is a relative rate of the rise in blood sugar. Low GI fruits and vegetables have higher nutritional density and more fibre: broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts, salad greens, berries, cherries, apples, peaches, plums, and pears.
18. AVOID HIGH GI FRUITS AND VEGETABLES like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, rice, pasta, popcorn, breads, rice cakes, bananas, dried fruits, and juices. They all raise your blood sugar too quickly.
19. AVOID BOXED CEREALS AND ANYTHING "INSTANT" Use large- flake rolled oats or other unprocessed whole grains for cereals and pancakes.
20. KNOW YOUR FOODS Beans and lentils are mainly carbohydrates, and nuts and peanut butter are mainly fat
21. WHIP IT Use whipped butter instead of solid butter. You'll use less.
22. GREASE RELEASE Never use cheap oils, deep fried grease, and margarine of any kind. Avoid all fried foods-too high in trans fatty acids.
23. NO SUGAR But if you must use sugar, use small amounts of crystalline fructose, low on the glycemic index.
24. SUPPLEMENT Add protein supplement to milk or soymilk on cereal (three tablespoons equal fourteen to sixteen grams protein).
25. 40 - 30 - 30 Shakes made with two-per-cent milk, soy milk (of same profile as milk), or water; three tablespoons protein supplement; and nine to twelve grams carbohydrate from low GI fruit are a convenient and easily balanced meals.
26. MORE EXERCISE If you eat too many carbohydrates in a meal (by accident or poor choices), exercise as soon as possible to lower insulin.
27. ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID Use supplements like lecithin capsules (never granules or oil-they're rancid), two every time you eat, GLA from borage seed oil, EPA from sardines or salmon and cold pressed flaxseed oil.
28. CONTROL CAFFEINE Caffeine stimulates the liver to release sugar into the blood, which in turn raises insulin, and that leads to fat storage and inhibits fat metabolism.
29. MAKE MAYONNAISE All you need is a blender, some cold press oil, and eggs.
30. Eat HIGH-MONO-unsaturated fats like almonds, macadamia nuts, avocados, olives, olive oil.
31. SOY products like tofu, tempeh, soy protein isolate supplements, are very high in isoflavones, which protect the heart and eyes and help prevent cancer.
32. Choose LEAN RED MEATS-they are high in branched chain amino acids, the muscle builders.
33. MUSCLE METABOLIZES FAT The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn.
34. COOK a whole turkey, chicken, roast beef, pork, lamb, or fish; slice and freeze in snack- and meal-size (one to five ounces ) portions. Great for on-the-go situations.
35. MEAL-SIZE PROTEIN PORTIONS cover the palm of the hand-the thickness of the hand. (I know, it's hard to measure yogurt that way.)
36. NOT ALL FAT IS BAD You need essential fatty acids (linolenic and linoleic or the activated versions of GLA and EPA) to metabolize other fats and to make the super hormones known as eicosanoids. Fat in the diet also controls the rate of rise in blood sugar.
37. UNDERCOOK pasta and rice to lower to Glycemic Index.
38. If you plateau in your weight loss and should still lose more, BECOME DILIGENT COUNTING GRAMS and ratio calculating. You may need to increase protein and reduce carbs even more because of your unique response to insulin.

WHEN EATING OUT

39.  SELECT YOUR PROTEIN FIRST, then your vegetables. Good choices include chicken or steak or shrimp or crab on a salad.
40.  BE AWARE OF STARCH on your plate (root vegetables, corn, bread, rice, pasta, muffins). Only have one per meal.
41.  CHICKEN FAJITA with no rice or beans is a good choice.
42.  Always choose THIN (VERY THIN) CRUST pizza with extra-low glycemic index vegetables and extra-low-fat cheese.
43.  PRECEDE ALL ALCOHOL WITH A PROTEIN appetizer. Shrimp, chicken, pâté, crab, cheese, smoked salmon (nuts if nothing else is available).
44.  BE CAREFUL with "entertainment calories": hors d'oevres, appetizers, and snacks.
45.  OPEN-FACED SANDWICHES using rye, sour dough, or real whole grain breads are a good way to control the carbs. Eat only one slice with lots of fish, chicken, hamburger, etc., and vegetables.
46.  WANT DESSERT? Don't eat the starch in the main course.
47.  Avoid "caloric thirst quenchers." Are you thirsty or hungry? Thirsty? DRINK WATER.

AND

48.  Once you have retrained your hands and eyes to the appropriate portions you will find that CLOSE IS GOOD ENOUGH.
49.  Whenever possible, BUY ORGANIC. The nutrient density is much higher.
50.  NEVER SHOP HUNGRY. Eat half a meal replacement bar if you have to shop just before you eat. Grocery shop with a plan and a list.

About the Author

L. Lee Coyne, Ph.D., is a Calgary-based nutritional consultant, lecturer, and author of Fat Won't Make You Fat, The Little Book of Nutrition Nuggets, and the Lean Seekers coaching program.