he party's over, the pounds are piled on, and you're prepared to pursue a healthy weight for yourself this year. That's where I come in. As your advisor on nutrition, health and weight loss, I can help give you the tools you need to lose weight and keep it off.

First of all, do not even think about going on a diet this month! Diets don't work because they are only temporary and don't require long-term commitment. If you go on a diet, then you will eventually go off the diet. How many times have you done that? Obviously, that approach is not helping you achieve your goals, so stop trying to lose weight that way and take a completely different approach (take the quiz inside this newsletter before you jump into a new eating plan, though).

I know that no one likes to be told what they can't eat. Don't worry—I won't recommend a course of deprivation and "don'ts." I want your new approach to be about what you can and should eat; a lifestyle approach that focuses on making healthy choices rather than restricting poor choices. I'm not saying that losing weight will be easy, but it might not be as hard as you think.

Before we continue, I want to clarify one thing: the title of this article is not quite accurate. I'm not going to put you on a diet and I don't want you to feel like the party is over now or forever. I never want you to take food or your eating plan too seriously. Food is one of the great pleasures in life and it is the vehicle for many important social and familial interactions. I won't take that away from you, but I will help you change the way you approach eating in all situations.

The Motivator

Here's what you need to ask yourself each time you're confronted with dining choices: Is what I'm about to eat healthful?

Healthful means that a food promotes health (more on healthful foods later). Stay positive and don't focus on what you should not be eating. Your job is to make the best possible choices to fill your plate. After you've achieved this, it's healthy to acknowledge that a little bit of bad food can be good for your soul. That means that eating a handful of fries off your spouse's plate, or imbibing a glass of wine with dinner, or enjoying a piece of dark chocolate after a good meal are all part of the plan - no guilt involved (as long as you don't do all of those things at one sitting). Think of it this way: if you consider your favorite foods to be completely off limits, then all you'll do is obsess about them. Free up valuable space in your mind with the knowledge that your favorite foods will always be a part of your healthful eating plan. That's not to say, however, that there won't be some major changes…

The Healthful Plan

So which foods promote health? I think you probably innately know the answer to this question already but are confused or exasperated by all of the low-carb, high-protein, low-fat information circulating in the media.

Here's a timely pop quiz:
Which of the following is healthier: a low-carb cookie, a reduced-fat cookie, or a regular high-fat, high-carb cookie?

The answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE! A cookie is a cookie is a cookie. Cookies don't promote health. Some may be "worse" for you than others, but cookies are, and always will be, a "sometimes" food.

We now return to the positive stuff. Think back to elementary school when you learned about the Four Basic Food Groups or the Food Guide Pyramid. Protein bars, low-carb bagels, fast food burgers, and diet soda were nowhere to be found on those charts. That's because they don't promote health. The foods that were and remain a part of these basic educational tools are vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat and nonfat dairy products. I'll throw in some healthful fats like those found in olive oil, nuts, flax seeds, and dark chocolate, too.

The nutrition community has learned a lot about the nutrients in foods that help prevent disease and promote health. With a few exceptions, these salubrious nutrients are found in naturally occurring whole foods, such as those promoted to us when we were youngsters. Highly saturated animal fats found in full-fat dairy products, cheese, butter and fatty cuts of meat, along with coconuts, are probably the major whole foods you should eat with caution.

Processed foods, on the other hand, should put you on high alert. Basically, anything in a package should merit your inspection. That's not to say that healthy foods don't come in packages. Whole grains, for example, should be properly packaged to help prevent spoilage and prolong their shelf life. Look for rough-cut oats, brown rice, barley, quinoa, bulgur, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain and multi-grain breads, whole-grain cereals, and whole-wheat flour. More often than not, though, packaged foods are highly processed. That means that a once healthful food (or a never healthful food) is refined to remove most of the health-promoting properties and then combined with other, usually unhealthy, ingredients, such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and high-fructose corn syrup.

The Facts

In case you need more convincing evidence, here are a few of the benefits associated with each of the healthful food groups.

Whole grains: Whole grains, like those mentioned previously, are full of naturally occurring fiber, which is filling and helps control blood sugar, as well as soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels. B vitamins, like folate, are also abundant in whole grains. Most of us don't get enough of any of these nutrients, which are essential for a robust immune system and the prevention of heart disease, among other things. Most tangibly, perhaps, whole grains provide our bodies with long-lasting energy (useful for maintaining those daily workouts). Whole grains have also recently been associated with the prevention of age-related weight gain.

Vegetables and fruits: These are the most nutrient-dense foods we can eat (which means they provide lots of nutrients and very few calories). Most of our vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and dietary fiber should come from produce. Vitamin C and potassium are found in pretty much all fruits and veggies and, beyond that, the color of the item predicts the nutrients that are inside. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables, for example, offer anthocyanins, which help protect against heart disease, many cancers, and the aging of the brain. Produce is strongly associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, cancers, age-related eye disease, and lower blood pressure. Since they're filling and low in calories, vegetables and fruits are a boon to those who want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

Lean Protein: You may want to replace fattier meat and pork in your diet with fish, beans and soy as part of your new healthful eating plan. Protein is important for the growth and repair of our tissues, a healthy immune system, and for helping the good energy from whole grains last longer. Protein is also very satisfying—good news for those looking to lose weight. Iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamins B-6 and B-12 are often found in protein-rich foods. In general terms, these nutrients help boost the immune system, prevent heart disease and certain cancers, and maximize energy levels.

Low-fat and nonfat dairy: Milk and yogurt are rich in calcium and protein. Calcium-rich dairy can help lower blood pressure, build strong bones and teeth, prevent osteoporosis, and aid in weight loss. The live and active cultures in yogurt (good bacteria) seem to fortify the digestive system and boost the immune system.

Fats: Dietary fat is essential for many of our bodily functions, most notably the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. Certain fats, such as monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats, a type of polyunsaturated fat, are health-promoting. Monounsaturated fats, found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and avocados, help lower your total cholesterol levels and your risk of heart attacks and heart disease. Omega-3 fats, found in fatty fish, walnuts, and flax seeds, have anti-inflammatory properties, and may help lower triglycerides, thin the blood, and reduce cancer risk.

Putting it all Together

Wow, there really are a lot of healthy foods to choose from! Try to remember that variety is part of a healthy diet so be sure to include a rainbow of fruits and vegetables each day, a variety of proteins, especially fish, and try new and unusual whole grains.

Notice that I didn't give you a sample menu or tell you what products you need to buy. That's because you have the knowledge to make healthful choices when you're faced with making selections at a buffet or a dinner party. Always try to bring balance into your meals by combining a whole grain or a starchy vegetable with some protein and a fruit or a vegetable. That's a winning combination for creating satisfying, nutritious, low-calorie meals. I hope you're excited about your new eating plan. If you take your new knowledge and enthusiasm about healthful eating with you wherever you go, the party never has to end!