Making a commitment to a change in your lifestyle to include a healthy diet will not only increase your overall well being but it will put you on the right path to bringing those numbers down.

Follow these simple cooking tips and sample meal plan and you will be well on your way to healthy eating and a healthy cholesterol level.

Cooking tips: grill or roast meats, steam or boil fish and vegetables, use low fat oils, fresh spices for seasoning, and small portions. Include healthy snacks in between meals.

Day 1 – Breakfast: 1 bowl of oatmeal, 1 small apple. Lunch: 1 cup of vegetable soup, 5 wheat crackers. Dinner: 4 oz lean roast beef, steamed cauliflower with dried oregano and lemon juice, 1 cup roasted potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil and parsley. Snacks: 1 small banana, ½ grape fruit, 1 small orange.

Day 2 – Breakfast: 1 cup non-fat yogurt, 8 dried apricots. Lunch: tuna fish on wheat crackers. Dinner: grilled quesadilla (4 oz. cooked chicken, 1 oz jack cheese melted on an 8 inch flour tortilla with sliced tomatoes), 1 tablespoon non-fat sour cream, ½ cup fruit salad with ¼ cup orange juice and 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Snacks: 17 grapes, 1 granola bar, 3 graham cracker squares

Day 3 – Breakfast: 1 granola bar, 1 cup carrot juice. Lunch: tossed green salad with 1 ½ teaspoons Italian dressing. Dinner: 8 oz grilled swordfish with lemon juice, 6 oz baked potato with 2 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese, ½ cup sliced apples with celery, walnuts and 1 teaspoon reduced-fat mayonnaise. Snacks: 3 Cups popcorn with butter flavored sprinkles, carrot sticks with 1 teaspoon fat-free cream cheese

Day 4 – Breakfast: 1 egg beater, 1 piece wheat toast. Lunch: Salmon, Tomato on Toast with Salad (1 slice whole grain bread, 1 large tomato, sliced, 3 3/4 oz can salmon, drained, 1 cup salad leaves, 1 cup sliced bell peppers, 1 cup sliced cucumber, Lemon juice and black pepper). Dinner: Stir-fried Chicken Breast, Veggies and Rice (4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 tsp olive or canola oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 small red onion, 1 sliced red bell pepper, 1 clove minced garlic, 3 tbsp [dry weight] brown basmati rice) Snacks: 1 orange, 5 dried apricots.

Day 5 – Breakfast: whole-grain cereal with nonfat milk and 1 pear. Lunch: 1 bean burrito, 1 small orange. Dinner: 1 Cup cooked spaghetti with 2 cups sauce, steamed zucchini with 1 t grated parmesan cheese. Snacks: 3 cups popcorn and fruit juice.

Day 6 – Breakfast: 1 cup non-fat yogurt, ½ cup mixed berries. Lunch: sliced turkey on wheat bread or flour wrap with lettuce and low fat cheese. Dinner: 6 oz. roasted chicken, 2/3 cup steamed rice with 1 Tablespoon celery and carrots and 1 tablespoon olive oil, steamed zucchini with oregano. Snacks: 1 cup raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries.

Day 7 – Breakfast: ½ bagel with 2 teaspoons of jam. Lunch: grilled chicken, lettuce, grated parmesan cheese, low fat caesar dressing wrapped in a flour tortilla. Dinner: 6 oz. broiled flounder with oregano and lemon juice, steamed asparagus, 6 oz roasted potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil and black pepper. Snacks: 5 vanilla wafers, celery sticks.