Healthy eating is easier when it’s fun. These kabobs make a unique treat for both kids and adults. They contain vitamin-rich vegetables and are balanced in protein and fat. Serve them with hummus for dipping or fiber-rich whole grain crackers.

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 cherry or grape tomatoes
• 8, 1/2 oz. cubes of cheese, such as part-skim mozzarella
• 8 green olives
• 8 oz. grilled or roasted chicken or turkey, cut into 1 oz. pieces
• 8 large cauliflower or broccoli florets
• 8 pre-soaked wooden skewers

Options for serving: Greek yogurt dressing, hummus, whole grain crackers, whole grain pita bread wedges

Directions

1. For each kebab skewer, slide on one tomato, a cube of cheese, an olive, a 1-ounce piece of poultry, a floret, and a second tomato.
2. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean that you have to cut out all special occasions. It’s okay to responsibly enjoy happy hour with friends and coworkers from time to time. When you do, aim to join the fun without disrupting your progress.

Know the facts.

Before you decide to gather for a drink, it’s important to understand how alcohol impacts weight loss. Not only do alcoholic drinks add calories, they can affect how efficiently you burn body fat, and they can also stimulate appetite. Understanding how alcohol can interfere with reaching your goals will help you make healthier choices and prevent the risk that you will overdo it on drinks.

Order a classic.

Fruity cocktails and drinks mixed with regular soda typically contain loads of calories and simple sugars. If you want a cocktail, stick with the classics. Traditional daiquiris, martinis, and spirits mixed with club soda allow for a cocktail without the cost of blowing your daily calorie budget. Order a classic martini instead of a cosmopolitan and you will save 70 calories or more.

Stick with smaller portions.

Many craft breweries and tasting rooms provide options for smaller portions that can help you stick to your plan. Order a half pint or tasters of beers for less volume and fewer calories.

Seek out session beers.

Estimating the calories in beer can be difficult, but generally when the alcohol content increases, so do the number of calories. Fortunately, session beers provide a lighter option. Session beers are less than 5 percent ABV (alcohol by volume). For example, a session IPA contains roughly 130 calories compared to 180 calories for a regular IPA and 230 calories for an imperial IPA.

Pick wine over sangria.

Stick with plain wine instead of sangria. A five-ounce glass of Merlot contains about 115 calories. Sangria is made with wine, but many varieties have added fruit juice, syrups, liqueurs, and some even contain flavored sodas like ginger ale. All these additions cause the calories to soar to over 200 for one glass.

Work in water.

Alcohol is dehydrating so keep your water intake up even if you only have one drink. Drink a glass of water before or after your cocktail. Dehydration can zap your energy levels making you feel sluggish and unmotivated for tomorrow morning’s workout.

Select the snacks.

Consuming alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes mindless snacking easier. If your table decides to order a few bar bites, take charge of the situation and order some healthier items. Check for options like grilled chicken satay, sautéed shrimp, or lettuce wraps. If none of the offerings meet your healthy eating plan, order a side salad or a cup of broth-based soup. Ignoring your hunger will only make you cave in when the high-calorie appetizers get passed around the table.

Walking is an effective exercise, but it’s easy to get into a rut with your routine. When you continue to walk for the same time and distance at the same intensity, your fitness is no longer challenged and you may no longer see results. This doesn’t mean you have to stop walking. Add some of these creative variations to your workout to get the heart pumping and to continue improving your fitness.

Add intervals

By varying your speed throughout your walk, you can boost calorie burn without overexerting yourself. Start at a leisurely pace, walk a little faster for 60 seconds, and then walk as fast as you can for 30 seconds to 60 seconds. Return to your leisurely place for 60 seconds and continue to repeat the intervals throughout your entire walk. If you’d rather not keep time, use landmarks for your intervals. For example, walk quickly to the stop sign and then recover until you get to the fire hydrant.

Alter your environment

A boring walk feels like it lasts forever and your lack of interest could slow you down to a shuffle. Choose walking environments that energize you or those that relieve your stress, and alternate where you walk to avoid boredom. Take time to investigate what types of walking environments you have access to. You might be surprised to find nature trails, beaches, paved trails around lakes, high school cross-country courses, and quaint downtown streets, which all provide enjoyable places to walk.

Find an incline

Whether you are on a treadmill or outside, increasing the grade on your course is a quick and easy way to increase the intensity. On the treadmill, instead of changing the speed during intervals, try increasing the incline. If you are outdoors, find a hilly route or stairs to instantly challenge your fitness.

Incorporate circuits

Your workout doesn’t have to be limited to walking. A 30-to-45-minute walk provides a great opportunity to work in some strength training. Walk for 5 minutes, stop and do a set of lunges. Walk for 5 more minutes and do a set of bicep curls with an exercise band. Adding some different activities will make your workout go faster and you’ll have both your cardio and strength training completed in one session.

Beat your time

Turn your walks into a competition with yourself. Stick with the same course and distance for two weeks. Record your total time on your first workout. On each walk that follows, try to beat the time before it. Not only will you increase your pace and challenge your fitness, you will gain a sense of accomplishment from achieving your goal.

Sources

These easy breakfast tacos are filled with protein-packed egg whites. A pesto made with fresh spinach, basil, and olive oil provides vitamins with heart-healthy fat. Fiber from whole grain tortillas will keep you feeling full throughout the morning.

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp raw walnuts
• 1 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp fine ground sea salt
• 10 large egg whites
• 8 whole grain taco-size tortillas, warmed
• 1 cup sliced grape or cherry tomatoes

Directions

1. Place the spinach and basil in a small food processor. Add the garlic, walnuts, and parmesan cheese. Pulse in 10-second intervals until all ingredients are finely chopped.
2. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Add the remaining olive oil to the food processor with 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and the salt. Puree for 20 to 30 seconds until the pesto is blended and almost smooth. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, add the egg whites, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the remaining black pepper. Whisk for 15 to 20 seconds. Preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook. Stir often for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are fully cooked, but still soft.
4. Place two tortillas on each serving plate, and fill each taco with an equal amount of scrambled egg whites. Top each with an equal amount of pesto and sliced tomatoes before serving.

Committing to take your lunch to school or work every day is just one step in the right direction. Once lunch time arrives, the meal needs to be appealing so that you won’t pass on it in favor of going out, and it should also be balanced in nutrients to keep your energy up throughout the afternoon. Here are a few tips to help you pack a healthy lunch that you will enjoy eating.

Pack a filling meal.

Taking a small lunch in an effort to save calories is a plan that can backfire. Your hunger may overwhelm you soon after the meal. Take enough food so that you feel comfortably full after eating. Choose foods that supply protein, fiber, and healthy fat. They will take longer to digest, keeping you full and satisfied. They will also help to sustain energy levels longer than a meal filled with simple carbohydrates.

Add variety.

Include something new in your lunch at least once per week. Try an exotic fruit or splurge on a infused-olive oil for your salad. Eating healthy food should be something you look forward to. Adding variety to your meals makes you less likely to be tempted by unhealthy options.

Keep it balanced.

As you pack your lunch, keep a mental list of all of the components of food that benefit your health -- protein, carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fat, vitamins, minerals, and plant phytochemicals. Select combinations of foods that will supply all of these beneficial nutrients. The more balanced your meals, the greater your food variety and the more nourished your body will be.

Satisfy cravings.

Include some foods that will help satisfy cravings and keep you from mindlessly snacking throughout the afternoon. Include a small square of dark chocolate or a mixed fruit salad for dessert. Instead of chips, satisfy your craving for something crunchy and salty with lightly salted air-popped popcorn or roasted chickpeas.

Make it interesting.

Most importantly, pack a lunch that you want to eat. A bland salad may make you feel like you are being good, but if you don’t enjoy it, a coworker’s offer to split her high-calorie take-out may be difficult to pass up. Pack food that is interesting and appealing. If you want to stick with a salad, dress it up with shredded cabbage, bok choy, fresh fruit, beans, colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. If you feel like you are in a lunch rut, try some of these ideas.

• Make a wrap with bean spread.
• Prep a burrito bowl the night before and reheat it at the office.
• Load up a pasta salad with all your favorite vegetables and beans.
• Hollow out small tomatoes and fill them with tuna salad.
• Make a sushi bowl with brown rice, vegetables and smoked salmon.
• Make a stew with white beans, quinoa, vegetables and your favorite herbs and spices.