• Try to drink eight 8 oz glasses of water per day.
• Remember, many liquids contain calories. Good examples are Gatorade, fruit juices and some flavored waters.
• Be sure to read labels. Sometimes understanding labels can be tricky.
• Remember, sugar comes in many different forms:  corn syrup, honey, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, dextrose, maltose, and glactose. Be aware of words ending in “ose”.
• Fructose is the most preferred source of sugar. (Not Fructose Syrup!)
• Always use fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Use frozen fruit and vegetables as a second choice. Remember, when fruit and veggies are canned, up to 90% of certain vitamins and minerals are lost in the process.

Creative Idea’s

• Sweeten your oatmeal with sugar-free jams
• Spice up your air popped popcorn with Tabasco, salsa or popcorn spices
• Try the following foods on top of your potato: low fat or nonfat cottage cheese, nonfat cheese, non-fat salad dressing, unsweetened applesauce, non-fat sour cream or fresh salsa.
•  Boil your rice with a bouillon cube
• Try your favorite non-fat dressing on fresh or steamed veggies
• Have a burrito instead of chicken and rice. Use the following ingredients: (Fresh tortilla, lean ground turkey, sliced chicken breast or ground flank steak, non-fat beans, non-fat cheese and fresh salsa)
• Instead of using butter and syrup on your pancakes, try sugar-free apple butter, fruit puree, or non-fat yogurt.