Eating five or more servings of vegetables and fruit each day, maintaining proper portion control, eating low fat, low calorie foods and exercising at least 30 minutes to an hour every day are the recommended Healthy Lives Fundamentals to lose weight, improve or maintain your health, and improve your quality of life.

How can you make sure you reach all of your goals? Practice the art of planning. Look at what each day brings and organize your approach to suit your schedule for the day. Over time, by following the Healthy Lives Fundamentals each day and recording your progress, you will find your personal formula for success.

Here are six tips for planning out your day:

1. Set your goals for each Healthy Lives
2. Write a plan for each goal, focusing on one fundamental at a time. Be specific.
3. Stay on track by carrying your plan with you. Record any changes throughout your day.
4. At the end of the day, assess your records and see if you met your goals.
5. If you did not meet your goals, think of what you could do differently next time.
6. Take the time each evening to write a plan for the next day.