Unfortunately the older we get, the less balanced and more haphazard our eating habits become. Sometimes we go to extremes to lose weight; sometimes we eat too many sweet and fatty foods; sometimes we lose interest in cooking and preparing meals and snack our way through the day. If you’ve fallen into one of these or other poor habits, maybe it’s time to tweak your diet a little.

Five habits to avoid:

}    Eating the same way you did 20 years ago.
Our calorie needs drop as we get older and because of that there is less room for sweets and high-fat foods. Instead we need more nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein like fish or skinless chicken.

} Not keeping healthy snacks on hand. If your freezer is full of ice cream and the refrigerator empty of fresh fruits or vegetables, it’s going to be harder to eat well. The pantry needs to be stocked with quick, nutritious options for a healthy snack.

} Underestimating the nutritional value of frozen foods. Fill your freezer with vegetables, fruits and a few frozen entrees instead of ice cream. Frozen foods can make it easier for you to fix a healthy meal for one or two. Frozen entrees are a great choice if they are balanced and not too high in sodium. Frozen vegetables can be stir fried or heated in the microwave for a quick meal. Frozen fruits can be added to cereal or yogurt for a tasty treat.

} Fasting or skipping meals. Skipping meals will leave you so hungry that you are more likely to overeat at the next meal.

} Rebalance the contents of your freezer: ¾ vegetables and unsweetened fruits as well as frozen
entrees that are low fat and low sodium or individual serving size of protein foods.

} Eat on a schedule-- breakfast, lunch and dinner, with small healthy snacks in between. A few almonds or a carrot makes a good snack. A stack of cookies or bowl of chips-- not so good.

} Avoid eating late at night. It’s bad for digestion and disturbs sleep.

} Spend mealtimes with others(if you can) to avoid binges and "lone wolf’' eating habits