Protein is an important component of a healthy breakfast. This is in part because protein is digested more slowly than carbs, for instance, and will help you feel full longer.  Lean, low-fat options are the best. For example, opt for low-fat Greek yogurt, soy or turkey sausage, or eggs. If your breakfast includes dairy products, opt for skim or low-fat options. In addition to protein, fiber is also extremely important, as this will help keep you nourished and satiated well into the day as well.  Perhaps the easiest option is cereal - but read the nutrition facts. Beware of misleading portion sizes and high amounts of sugar in many cereals. Check the nutritional label of any cereals and only go with options that have whole grains listed as the first ingredient. Further, make sure your selection has less than 10 grams of sugar, at least 3 grams of fiber, and is free of artificial coloring. Though many breakfast options are rather sugary, these are not the best options. Aside from selecting options based on protein and fiber, opt for seasonings like pepper and turmeric instead of syrup or brown sugar.  When you do want a bit of sweetness to something like oatmeal, use fruit or honey. Cutting to the chase, skip the donut shop. The only thing worse than skipping breakfast in the morning is loading up on sugar and unhealthy fats with your first meal of the day. While egg whites are lower in calories and fats, it’s important to note that egg yolks do contain highly valuable nutritional components like protein, healthy fats, choline and a variety of vitamins.  A good option for an omelet is one whole egg and one or two “egg’s worth” of egg whites. Drinking coffee in the morning will curb your appetite and may be causing you to eat less. Unfortunately, if you ride the caffeine train all day and don’t eat much, you’re metabolism will slow down, and you’ll risk storing a bunch of fat following an evening meal - which is likely to be larger than necessary if you hadn’t eaten all day. Further, you may be setting yourself up for failure by trying to get by on coffee alone. Not only is the coffee-only approach unhealthy, you’re even more likely to wind up caving in and grabbing one of those volleyball-sized cinnamon rolls when you go for a refill before eating something healthy.

Summary: Include some protein. Get some whole grains too. Default to savory options. Don’t ditch yolks entirely. Take care with caffeine.


It’s easier to stay motivated if you’re working with a partner. Ask someone who shares a similar goal or who you trust to be honest with you to be your accountability partner. Check in with your partner at least once a week so that you feel like you have to keep making progress. Depending on what your goal is, you might also invite your accountability partner to do goal-oriented activities with you. Things like TV and your phone can be a big distraction, but don’t let them hold you back. When a distraction is preventing you from sticking to your positive changes, remove it from your life or put restrictions on it. This will help you make progress toward your goals.  As an example, you might use an app to limit your use of social media on your phone and computer. Similarly, you might unplug your TV to make it harder to watch it. Reflection helps you recognize what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong. This helps you make new changes to help you reach your ultimate goal. Set aside time each week to think about what you accomplished that week and what changes could help you do better over the upcoming week. For instance, you might record how much time you spent working on your goals and what activities felt like a waste of time. Then, decide how you can spend your time more wisely in the future. Give yourself a small treat to recognize your progress. This might be a sticker, your favorite food, or a small item you’ve been wanting. Continuously reward yourself so you stay motivated to stick with your big change.  To reward yourself for small changes, you might put a sticker on your calendar when you engage in a good habit or work on a goal. For bigger accomplishments, you might indulge in a small treat, like getting your favorite coffee or using a fancy bath bomb. When you accomplish a major milestone or goal, give yourself a bigger reward, like a new pair of shoes or a trip to the spa. It takes time to fully change yourself completely, but you’ll likely experience small changes along the way. These small changes are something to celebrate and help you start living a life that you love. Don’t worry about how long it takes you to fully live your best life. Instead, just enjoy your day-to-day journey. Don’t push yourself so hard to reach your goals that you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Go slow and try to enjoy the ride. When you’re trying to change your life, you might feel like you have to use every moment wisely. This can leave you feeling like you can’t rest or slow down. However, your body and mind need rest if you’re going to be at your best. Schedule rest days into your life so you can recover and stay the course.  For example, you might plan a rest day each week where you relax or have fun. Alternatively, you might schedule a down day once a month where you stay home all day to relax.

Summary: Recruit an accountability partner as you make changes. Reduce distractions that prevent you from focusing on what’s important. Reflect on your progress toward your goals once a week. Reward yourself for making positive changes. Focus on the journey toward a better you rather than your end goal. Incorporate rest days into your schedule so you don’t get burnt out.


Give your child crayons specifically made for younger kids, and let them color. Younger kid's crayons are usually smaller and wider (more like a pebble than a stick), so they are easier to grasp.  Just like any part of the body, kids need to build up muscle and dexterity in their hands before they learn to write.  If it's a nice day, take it outside. Use chalk to color on the sidewalk. Using macaroni or large beads, string them on yarn to create wearable art. The act of picking up pieces and stringing them works on dexterity.  For this project, lay out the noodles in a bowl on the table. Cut a length of string. Thread a noodle onto the string, and tie the noodle in place on one end with a knot. Place the string back on the table, and proceed to create a string for each kid. Let your kids thread noodles on their respective strings, and then tie them off to create the necklace. Let them have fun playing around with the dough. Their creations don't need to be perfect--just let them create what they want with the dough. Working with Play-Doh and other clay builds up hand muscle and dexterity. Give your child a spray bottle to water the household plants. Ask the child to go around the house and give each plant some water. The action of squeezing the bottle builds up muscles in the hand. Give your kids finger puppets and ask them to come up with a story about them. Have them act it out with the puppets on their hands. You can demonstrate first if your kids seem confused. Moving the puppets increases dexterity and coming up with a story encourages their imagination. Any kind of cutting activity helps strengthen their hands and increase fine motor skills. Just be sure to give them safety scissors so they don't hurt themselves.  To make snowflakes, fold a piece of paper in half horizontally. Fold it in half again, but do it vertically. Fold it in half several times, always keeping one end without any folds. You should have a triangle shape that is misshapen on the non-folded end. Cut shapes in the the paper. Angular shapes work best. Also, make the unfolded end regular by cutting along the edge in a design. Open the paper back up for a snowflake. Kids love stickers, and playing with them also encourages dexterity, as they must employ fine motor skills to peel them off the paper. Make sure to give kids paper to place the stickers on. Otherwise, the stickers will end up all over your kids and the house.
Summary: Let your kid color. Make necklaces together. Give them Play-Doh. Water the plants. Tell a story with finger puppets. Teach them to cut snowflakes. Play with stickers.