With baby-boomers aging and technology advancing much attention has been paid to ways to promote health and longevity. We are living longer and healthier lives. Fortunately, we are learning that good health can be a side effect of eating right. Not only that, but we can actually lose weight just by eating the right foods, in the correct portions and at the right time.

There was a time that 'dieters' would skip meals in order to lose weight. Luckily we now know that skipping meals will slow down our metabolism by up to 20 or even 30 percent. Plus, when we skip meals we tend to feel irritable and may even feel weak. Skipping meals often results in overeating when we do eat. So obviously it is much wiser to eat every meal. In fact, we have learned that by eating five to seven smaller meals per day we can keep our metabolism rate higher and we never feel hungry.

We hsve all heard that eating breakfast is important. There are several reasons for this but to begin, breakfast will kick-start your metabolism. And if you eat breakfast you are likely to consume fewer calories throughout the day.

Getting the rest we need also has an impact on our appetite and our energy level. If we are tired and fatigued it is unlikely that we will feel the motivation needed to exercise. We may even opt for fast food fixes because we are too tired to cook. Additionally, lack of sleep actually influences the hormones that regulate our appetite.

Although the goal is to eat right, which means eating healthier foods, we should not label foods as off-limits. Instead, allow yourself to eat the high-calorie food in limited amounts. You might save it as a reward. Then you may feel silly rewarding yourself for eating healthy with an unhealthy choice and decide to eliminate it altogether.

Once we get the hang of eating healthier it simply becomes a part of our lifestyle. I never suggest making radical changes in your life immediately. Instead, slowly incorporate small changes until your lifestyle is a healthy one.

I would begin by eating more meals per day but insuring that the serving portions are small. Another idea is to begin rating your hunger. Use a scale of one to three and try to eat when you reach a two. That way you will not be starving and overeat but you will also become disciplined in determining if you are eating out of habit or out of hunger.

Small things like keeping the remote to the TV across the room instead of next to you can make a difference in the calories you burn. You can begin parking at the backend of parking lots so that you are forced to walk a short distance. Spending outdoor time with pets or children can be an enjoyable way to burn some calories. Believe it or not, even housework is a great way to burn a few calories!

Living a longer and healthier life is our goal. Start making wiser choices today to make tomorrow, next week and next year healthier times for you!