The 100 calorie snack packs are great for portion control, but may not do their duty as a snack. A snack should keep you satisfied between meals to help you avoid overeating at your next meal. The 100 calorie packs are typically mini cookies that are high in sugar and lack fibre and protein. Instead, try one of these portable snacks that provide some fibre and protein to help you feel full longer:

• a single serving of low-fat yogurt and an apple
• trail mix made from whole grain cereal, unsalted nuts and dried fruit
• baby carrots or red pepper strips with hummus dip
• half a whole grain bagel with peanut butter

Sea salt is often marketed as a more natural and healthy alternative to table salt, but both contain similar amounts of sodium. Too much sodium in the diet may lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Sea salt contains about 31% sodium by weight, along with small amounts of calcium, potassium and magnesium. Table salt contains 39% sodium by weight and small amounts of potassium iodide. Both types of salt should be limited to reduce sodium intake.

Enjoying a healthy breakfast is a great way to start your day. It’s important to “break the fast” after not eating throughout the night, which can help to improve your energy level, reduce your hunger and prevent impulsive eating later in the day. A healthy breakfast should include three of the four food groups, such as whole grain cereal with milk and a banana.

Often people who skip breakfast regularly don’t feel hungry in the morning because their bodies have become used to ignoring their hunger signals. To get back to a regular eating schedule that includes breakfast, try starting with something small in the morning, like a piece of fruit or slice of toast. When having breakfast becomes a routine, work towards making it a balanced meal by including three food groups.

The % Daily Value, found in the nutrition facts table, is based on recommendations for a healthy diet. It puts nutrients on a scale of 0 to 100%, which tells you if there is a lot or a little of a nutrient in a serving of that food. For example, a food that has 30% Daily Value for fibre means that you're getting almost a third of your day's recommended intake for fibre by eating a serving of that food.

Try to follow the 5/10/15 Rule for % Daily Value:

For nutrients you want to decrease look for a % DV that is:

• 5% or less of total fat, sodium and cholesterol
• 10% or less of saturated fat and trans fat

For nutrients you want to increase look for a % DV that is:

• 15% or greater of calcium, iron and fibre

You can also compare similar foods or different brands of a food using the % Daily Value. Remember to look at the serving sizes on each label to see if you are comparing similar amounts first.

For most activities, drinking water before, during, and after your workout is the best way to keep you hydrated. If you’re working out at a very intense level for an hour or more you may want to use a sports drink.

Energy drinks are different from sports drinks and are not designed for hydration during exercise. Energy drinks contain too much sugar for your body to digest quickly during exercise and may cause stomach discomfort. They are often carbonated which makes it hard to drink enough to stay hydrated. Additionally, energy drinks contain caffeine, which may make you alert for a short time but tends to be followed by feelings of low energy. It is not known if other ingredients in energy drinks like taurine and glucuronolactone are safe, especially when mixed with caffeine.

Brown sugar and honey are not more nutritious than white sugar. All sugars, including honey, brown sugar, white sugar and maple syrup have the same nutritional value and are handled by your body in the same way. All sugars provide similar amounts of energy (about 4 calories per gram or 16 calories per teaspoon) but no significant amounts of other nutrients.

Canadians consume an average of 3400 mg sodium daily, more than double the 1500 mg adults 19-50 need, and even above the 2300 mg ‘upper tolerable intake level’, which is the most adults should take in per day. Most of that sodium doesn’t come from the salt shaker – almost 80% of the salt in the Canadian diet comes from processed foods.
To reduce the sodium in your diet:

• Prepare more of your meals and snacks at home.
  Foods from restaurants or fast food are high in sodium.
• Read food labels and choose products with lower sodium content.
  Look for foods with the claims “salt-free” or "low in sodium"
• Eat more fresh, unprocessed foods instead of pre-packaged foods.
  Frozen dinners, deli meats, salad dressings, rice and noodle mixes, and other processed foods are often high in sodium.
• Prepare foods with little or no added salt.
  Try using a twist of lemon juice, herbs and spices, or sodium free seasonings instead.
• Ask for nutrition information at restaurants and choose lower sodium foods.
  Many chains now make nutrition information available online or in the restaurant.

There is no evidence that low carbohydrate diets are more effective than higher carbohydrate diets for long term weight loss. It is total calories that are most important in weight management. Low-carb diets can be difficult to follow because food choices are so limited, and you may have trouble meeting your nutrition needs. Carbohydrate sources like whole grains, vegetables and fruit, legumes and milk contribute valuable nutrients that the body needs. A diet that has a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat may be easier to stick to and therefore easier to maintain weight loss as well. Rather than making drastic changes to the way you eat, set small healthy eating goals and lead an active lifestyle to help reach and maintain a healthy weight.