Ready to feel your best? I’m here to help! This seven-day plan will clean up your diet while allowing you to still enjoy the delicious flavors and satisfying textures of good-for-you fare. Along the way, be sure to celebrate every small victory. Here we go…

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Day 1: Hydration celebration

Today, you’ll focus on staying hydrated by sipping half your weight in water ounces. For example: If you weigh 160 pounds, you’ll be sipping 80 ounces a day, or 10 (8-ounce) glasses. Enjoy two cups water (flat or sparkling) with each meal and snack—then fill in with the amounts left throughout the day.  

Plain water is perfectly fine, but you can vary it up by enjoying unsweetened iced tea or by using flavored sparkling water to create fun beverages like:

• Cucumber Lemon Spa Water
• Tilted Cranberry Lime Mocktail

Day 2: Meal Prep = Meal Pep

Today is about investing time in meal prep. Take a few moments to pre-plan your meals and snacks in advance for the next few days. Then, make a shopping list, gather your ingredients and chop or cook ahead whatever you can. You can batch cook easy staples like veggies, rice, pasta, quinoa, and grilled chicken for mix-and-match magic during the week. Try my One Sheet Chicken and Brussels Sprouts or Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies. Or make this Turkey Bolognese to serve multiple ways throughout the week (I use it to top baked potatoes, toss with spaghetti squash or whole grain pasta, and sometimes I like to add a large scoop to a green salad for a delicious lunch). This makes healthy eating easy and accessible. You’ll be thanking yourself later on!

Day 3: Eat the Rainbow

You’ve likely heard the tip to fill your plate with lots of colorful produce—blueberries, eggplant, strawberries, apples, oranges, beets, bananas, bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, and so on. Doing so ensures that you get a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

With that in mind, your goal for today is to choose at least three different fruits or vegetables to add to each meal (bonus points for including in snacks!). Some tasty suggestions for colorful inspo:

• PB & Berry Breakfast Bowl
• Kitchen Sink Mug Omelet
• Superfood Minestrone
• Longevity Smoothie
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Day 4: Find tasty replacements for starchy carbs

Today, you’re going to focus on swapping out carb-heavy favorites for healthier, lighter, lower-carb options. Instead of pasta, try zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. If you’re making a sandwich, lose the top slice of bread or enjoy crisp lettuce wraps. Swap white rice for cauliflower rice…there are so many smart swaps—here are a few ideas:

• Loaded Bell Pepper Nachos
• Spaghetti Squash with Creamy Hummus
• Cauliflower Fried Rice
• Rotisserie Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Egg Roll Bowl
• Roasted Cabbage Pizzas

Day 5: Increase your protein intake

Protein is your focus today—and you’ll ensuring you get enough! Your rough goal is to aim for half your weight in daily protein grams (if you’re pregnant, nursing or an elite athlete, you may need more). Animal sources of protein include lean beef, poultry, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese, dairy milk. Plant-based sources are particularly beneficial because in addition to protein, they provide fiber, antioxidants and other key nutrients. These include lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts, seeds, soy. Aim for at least one of these at each meal or snack today. Check out these tasty suggestions:

• Key Lime Overnight Oats
• High-Protein Scrambled Eggs
• BBQ Salmon Bowl
• Reboot Bowl
• Lentil Sloppy Joes
• Tex-Mex Quinoa Bake
• Chicken Coleslaw

Day 6: Mindful munching

Your goal for day six is to eat more slowly and to savor each bite at meals and snacks. To do so, step away from the phone, power off the computer, turn off the TV, and instead, be present. When you’re home and it’s possible, set the table with your best plates, silverware, tablecloth or placemats, and even light a candle. Make the meal a memorable experience.

Notice the different flavors, textures and smells. Place your fork down between each bite and chew your food thoroughly. Aim to enjoy the meal for at least 20 minutes, and use the hunger scale throughout to touch base with yourself. I typically suggest using a range of 1 to 5; with 1 being ravenous, 5 being stuffed. Check in a few times throughout the meal to see where you stand.

Day 7: Indulge…the healthy way!

On your final day, learn how to reimagine two of your favorite treats with a healthy twist. Check out my Recipe Index, my Instagram, my TikTok or other cooking websites and blogs to search for whatever it is you typically crave—brownies, cake, cookies, cupcakes, ice cream, chocolates and so on. Then find a more nourishing version you can whip up for when a craving strikes. That way, you’re prepared with a lighter spin that you can savor!

If you like chocolate, try:
• Super Seed Chocolate Bark
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Dates (Aka Snickers)
• 2-Ingredient Chocolate Fudge Cakes
• Frozen Chocolate Berry Bark
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

If you like cookies, try:
• Easiest 3-Ingredient Chocolate Cookies (with cake mix and canned pumpkin)
• Frozen Yogurt Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• Skillet Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Single-Serve Jumbo Oatmeal Cookie

If you like cake/pie:
• Key Lime Pie Dates
• Strawberry Cheesecake Dates
• Pumpkin Banana Pudding
• 5-Minute Apple Pie
• Zucchini Walnut Muffins
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

If you like frozen treats:
• Superfood Ice Pops
• Shaved Pineapple Ice
• Banana Ice Cream
• Creamy Lemonade Pops
• Frozen Banana Snickers
• No-Added-Sugar Slushies: Raspberry-Blueberry Slushy and Cherry Slushy