Norwalk, Conn., Oct. 4,  2007 - People who eat out tend to consume more calories than those who cook their own meals.  Those who prefer takeout to the kitchen also tend to consume more fat and cholesterol, and less of the nutrients a body needs to stay healthy. 

"Get your diet back on track," said Peggy Fleming, Olympic figure skating champion and HealthSaver spokesperson.  Make the right choices at the grocery. Change how you cook.  And modify recipes to increase your meals' nutritional value.

"These adjustments will help you feel better than ever as you embrace the healthy lifestyle you deserve," said Brad Eggleston, vice president of HealthSaver.

Cook your way to a healthy diet with these tips.

• A healthy diet starts at the grocery.  Begin your shopping at the produce section to stock plenty of unprocessed foods that carry essential nutrients. 


• Along with fresh food, buy frozen vegetables to ensure you always have enough veggies on hand.  Dark-green vegetables, such as broccoli, are especially important.


• Be wary of canned food with added salt or sugar.  Opt for low sodium and low or no syrup.


• Increase fiber with whole-wheat bread and pasta.  Brown rice is also a healthier choice.


• Bring a grocery list to avoid unhealthy temptations.  Aim for foods from each food group.  Variety is essential to a balanced diet.


• Small changes make a big difference.  Buy reduced-fat cheddar cheese instead of regular and avoid eight grams of fat.

• Base recipes on vegetables rather than meats.  Add vegetables to casseroles, then use crushed whole-grain cereal as a topping for extra fiber. 


• Bring salads to life.  Sprinkle almonds on greens for extra protein and calcium, or add orange sections for a sweet taste.


• Make healthy ingredient substitutions within your recipes.  Use low-fat milk instead of cream.  Add cinnamon, vanilla extract or nutmeg in place of sugar.  Season vegetables with herbs and spices rather than butter, salt or sauces.  Try the following combinations:  cilantro with rice and bean dishes, basil with tomato-based recipes, garlic with beef, rosemary with chicken, oregano with potatoes, and parsley with soups.


• Stay away from the frying pan.  Healthier options include grilled steak, baked chicken and steamed vegetables.  Such methods will rid recipes of excess fat, and will help maintain foods' flavor. 


• Sauté with low-sodium broth rather than oil.  Or opt for nonstick cookware.


• Decrease saturated fat by using less butter than a recipe calls for.  Saturated fats raise cholesterol levels which can, in turn, increase your risk of heart disease.


• Take advantage of your freezer.  Prepare more food than necessary for one meal, then freeze the remainder in single portions for a later date.  Next time you're too busy to cook, you'll have a healthy meal ready to go.

• Fruits and vegetables are not only essential to a healthy diet, but also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.  Fruits and vegetables also reduce the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes, help prevent stroke, and control blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 


• Get the most out of your calories.  Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, potassium and fiber.  They also help you avoid overeating by helping you feel full.


• Aim for two cups of fruit each day. Examples of one cup include one large orange, one small watermelon wedge, and eight large strawberries.  You can consume the recommended two and a half cups of vegetables per day with a half cup of green beans, 12 baby carrots, and one cup of black beans.

A healthier diet could reduce cancer deaths in America by as much as 35 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Health.  Emphasize fruits and vegetables to reduce your risk of other such chronic diseases.  Eat more nutrient-dense foods such as whole-grains.  Such changes offer benefits you'll feel for a lifetime.

HealthSaver, an emerging health care discount program, offers savings on prescriptions, vision care, complementary and alternative health care treatments, vitamins and supplements by mail and more than 1,500 fitness clubs nationwide, including select Bally Total Fitness, World Gym and Ladies Workout Express locations.   

About HealthSaver

HealthSaver offers discounts of 20 percent on vision care, as well as discounts of 10 to 50 percent on prescriptions at participating pharmacies, 20 percent off complementary and alternative health care treatments and fitness club benefits.  HealthSaver also offers discounts of 10 to 35 percent on dental care services at some 42,000 participating provider locations nationwide, including routine cleanings, X-rays, fillings, orthodontics, and even popular cosmetic dentistry procedures such as teeth whitening. Members can also save from 5 to 50 percent off vitamins and supplements by mail.  Discounts are based upon reasonable and customary costs or manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) and are only available from participating providers.  HealthSaver is not an insurance product or service.  More information about HealthSaver is available online at www.healthsaver.com or toll free by calling 1-800-7HEALTH (1-800-743-2584).  A one month trial membership in HealthSaver (www.healthsaver.com or 1-800-743-2584) costs $1 and can be canceled anytime during the trial period. Unless the member calls to cancel during the trial, membership will be extended automatically and billed to a credit card number at the $149.99 annual fee.  Members may call toll free to cancel at any time and receive a refund of the unused portion of their current year's fee. HealthSaver is offered by Affinion Group, a leader in the membership, insurance and loyalty marketing businesses, providing products and services that touch the lives of millions of Americans.

About Affinion Group

Affinion Group, www.affiniongroup.com, is a leading affinity direct marketer of value-added membership, insurance and package enhancement programs and services to consumers.  With more than 30 years of experience, Affinion Group currently offers its programs and services worldwide through more than 5,200 affinity partners.  Its diversified base of affinity partners includes leading companies in a wide variety of industries, including financial services, retail, travel, telecommunications, utilities and Internet.  Affinion Group also has a growing loyalty solutions operation which administers points-based loyalty programs.   Based in Norwalk, Conn., Affinion Group has approximately 3,000 employees throughout the United States and in 14 countries across Europe.

About Affinion Group
As a global leader with almost 40 years of experience, Affinion Group (www.affinion.com) enhances the value of its partners' customer relationships by developing and marketing loyalty solutions. Leveraging its expertise in customer engagement, product development and targeted marketing, Affinion provides programs in subscription-based lifestyle services, personal protection, insurance and other areas to help generate increased customer loyalty and significant incremental revenue for more than 5,550 marketing partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Stamford, Conn., the company has approximately 4,250 employees and markets in 17 countries globally. Affinion holds the prestigious ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices, is PCI compliant and Cybertrust certified.

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