Article: Write down everything you eat throughout the day, then go through your diary at the end of the week and get nutrition information for the foods you ate. You can total the calories you ate each day and figure out how to improve your diet and make healthier choices. The USDA has an online food tracker available at https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/. You can create an account for free and enter your personal information to get a customized nutrition guide with sample meals. The tracker also allows you to look up the nutritional information for more than 8,000 different foods. Balanced meals give you all the nutrients you need to help you stay fit. Choose lean protein, whole-grain breads and pastas, and plenty of fruits and vegetables with every meal.  The easiest way to make sure your meals are balanced is to eat a rainbow of foods at every meal. Mix it up with blue or red berries, which are high in anti-oxidants, and add greens like spinach and kale. Round out a salad with red and yellow peppers. Beans and peas are good vegetable sources of protein. You can still eat healthy even if you have limited time or energy to cook. On weekends or when you have a day off, cook 6 to 8 servings of something healthy and simple that you enjoy eating. Save the extra servings to eat throughout the next week.  If you don't have much experience cooking, search for simple recipes online or get a cookbook for beginners with recipes that only require 3 or 4 ingredients. You can always add to them as you get more proficient. Try to learn 4 or 5 recipes that you can cook quickly and easily. Always having healthy meals ready will help you resist the urge to order takeout or get fast food if you're hungry and don't feel like cooking. If you find yourself idly reaching for potato chips or cookies, try slicing some cucumbers, carrots and celery to have on hand when you want something to munch on.  Nuts, raisins, and fruit are also nutritious snacks that can help stave off hunger between meals. If you're prone to having late-night snacks, try brushing your teeth after dinner. Your mouth will feel clean and it may help remove that temptation. You could also do an activity that keeps you away from food, such as taking a long bath, playing a board game, or engaging in a hobby. As long as you don't have any joint problems, skip elevators and take the stairs to reach higher floors. Stair climbing is one of the most intense exercises you can do, and you'll burn significant calories as well as improving your cardiovascular strength. Pace yourself if you're going up several flights of stairs, so you aren't winded and sweaty by the time you reach your destination. If you've just got one short flight of stairs, on the other hand, try running up them as fast as you can. Having 8 to 10 glasses of water a day will keep you well-hydrated, which is essential for your overall health and fitness. Keep a water bottle with you at all times, and limit your consumption of coffee and tea, which can be dehydrating. If you want to drink fruit juice, choose a juice with no added sugar.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Start a food diary to keep track of what you eat. Eat at least 3 well-balanced meals a day. Cook large meals on your day off. Keep healthy snacks available at all times. Take the stairs whenever possible. Drink water instead of soft drinks.