I have patients who graze throughout the day. They drink caloric beverages. They have three snacks a day. Salad dressings add up. It all adds up.

When you are looking at snacks throughout the day, look at what's going on. Are you going to be running errands all day? If so, pack snacks at home so you're not grabbing something out of a vending machine.

Choose a variety of snacks. Try new things. Try new wheat crackers. Try different fruits. Variety is important to get a broad variety of vitamins and minerals.

There's a big margin there. If that sauce or spread has 6 grams of fat per couple of tablespoons, but 5 grams are saturated, it's not the best choice.

Even if you plan to sit down at the television and snack, measure out your portion before you sit down so you know how much you're eating.

When I do weight-loss education or diabetes education I really emphasize portion size. Measure things out so they get a visual perception of what a standard portion should look like.