Jacob Sager Weinstein

There's a classic story of the guy who wants to quit smoking.

So in the pocket where he would normally keep his packet of cigarettes, he puts a photo of his daughter.

And every time he automatically reaches for a cigarette, he ends up with that photo, and he remembers why he wants to quit.

And even if you're not trying to quit something, if you're trying to start something, I think that can help too.

If you want to exercise not just because of some vague idea that it's good for you or you're supposed to, but you want to exercise so you can be hiking with your grandchildren when you're 80, or if you want to exercise so you can visit that city you've dreamed of visiting a year from now and have the energy to walk around all day, I think sometimes having a specific positive image in mind can help keep you going.

Sure, so something that really changed the way I eat.

For most of my life, I have been a really fast eater.

I just wolfed down my food, which is a bad habit I picked up as a teenager and carried through my whole life.

So I saw the advice, and as simple as it is, it's made a big difference to me, to put down my fork while I'm chewing.

So I pick up the fork, I put the food in my mouth, and I put the fork down till I'm ready for the next bite.

And as simple as that is, that has made me a much more mindful eater.

I eat more slowly.

I notice as a result of eating slowly when I'm full, so I eat less.

And I'm not just mindlessly shoveling the next bite into my mouth, so I'm actually enjoying my food more than I was before.

And to me, something like that, like mindful eating, which isn't just healthy, but actually is pleasurable, that makes me enjoy food more rather than less, is the kind of health advice that I love to find, that I think we're all seeking out.

Along those lines, another tip is I think we have this stereotype that healthy food is bland.

And that's because too much salt, too much sugar, too much fat, yes, those are all bad for you.

If you have too much, you need to cut them down.

But most herbs, pretty much almost any herb you can name, basil, cumin, oregano, they're actually healthy for you.

Garlic, onions, those are things that are good for your heart.