Figuring out ways to eat well can be fun. Before you throw away this paper and go back to gobbling those chips or shoveling Nido into that tea, stay with me a second. There are easy ways to change your eating habits that add variety and health to your life.

Perhaps the easiest thing to think about first is small meals (such as breakfast) and snacking. First of all…never skip breakfast. It’s important to get energy early in the day. But instead of toast with butter and honey why not try yogurt and bananas?

Omelets are full of protein, so why not add tomatoes, onions, peppers or avocado? Whole grain bread (the best around is from Novotel bakery—pain complet) is best for toast and sandwiches because so much of the nutrition in grain is lost when it is processed into white flour.

The same goes for rice…though brown rice is hard to get here. Always put Nido in your coffee or tea? Why not try milk or, even better, low fat milk or honey? As the day goes on and you start to get hungry, change from bread to apples, oranges or passion fruit.

Those funny stares at the office will change to eager inquiries as you lose weight and gain energy. At lunch instead of coke or fanta try vitalo with lime, milk or fresh juice.

And go for the tastier sauces and smaller amounts…if you’ve had a good breakfast and healthy snack you shouldn’t be so starving you stack you plate higher than Rubero.

In the afternoon when you start to get sleepy wake yourself up with yogurt or nuts. Eating healthy is all about eating creatively and being willing to try new things. Trust me, you’ll still crave chocolate once in awhile (as my trip to the kitchen last night proves) but you’ll also start to miss yogurt, fruit and … well maybe never vitalo. But you get my point.

Amity Weiss is a professional personal trainer from America living in Kigali.

Contact: amity—weiss@yahoo.com