Our team at AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah wants you to realize that loving food is OK! It’s OK to love salad and chocolate, fried chicken and steamed fish, cake and fresh fruit. Even registered dietitians don’t sit around eating vegetables and nuts every single day. The key to eating healthy is to follow a few simple rules—and it’s even OK to break the rules every now and then! Eating a Balanced Diet Start by throwing out the rule that you can’t have anything sweet ever again. Because, truth be told, you can indulge every once in a while with some of your favorite vices, including ice cream, chocolate and cake. You simply need to practice portion control and not overdo it. Try to keep your sweet treats to approximately 200 calories a day to still keep within your healthy diet. That way, even though you’re partaking in a few of your favorite foods, you’re not completely throwing your diet out the window. Second, try to add vegetables to every meal. You can even go as far as to make one meal mostly vegetables with maybe some fruit thrown in for variety. Research various green drinks and fresh smoothie recipes that are made up of mostly whole vegetables to help fill you up and ensure you receive the servings of produce you need in a day. Third, always keep healthy snacks with you—all day, every day. When you grow hungry and have nothing on hand, you’re likely to turn to a vending machine or a fast food drive-through line. However, this is absolutely the worst option when it comes to eating healthy. If you pack healthy snacks, like plain popcorn, almonds, or cut-up fruits and vegetables, you’ll have a snack at your fingertips when hunger attacks. Before starting any new diet and exercise routine, be sure to visit a physician at AFC Urgent Care Ooltewahto ensure your health is ready for the change in your routine.