Advice at Summer Tomato revolves around a few simple principles:

• Eat Your Vegetables. Vegetables are the corner stone of health and weight loss.
• Skip Processed Foods. Even processed foods that claim to be healthy are more likely to harm you than help you. If it comes in plastic, think twice before eating it.
• Learn To Cook. To realistically integrate the first two points, basic food preparation skills are essential. You do not need to be a brilliant chef–starting with high-quality fresh ingredients is half the battle.
• Shop In Season. Seasonal produce is tastier, more nutritious and less expensive than your favorite food is out of season.
• Mix It Up. Megadoses of one single food, nutrient or supplement have never been shown to be helpful for anything. To get the greatest health benefit from your diet, eat as many different kinds of seasonal vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes as you can find.
• Eat Balanced Meals. Cravings and binges often begin with nutrient deficiencies. Keep yourself nourished by having a well-balanced diet.
• Make Changes Gradually and Permanently. To upgrade your healthstyle you need to build new healthy habits you enjoy. Make adjustments to your routine gradually so they integrate more easily into your life.
• Plan Your Meals. Poor planning is the easiest way to sabotage your healthy habits. Plan ahead to avoid eating things you regret.
• Watch Your Portions. Eating too much (of anything) is a sure fire way to gain weight.
• Use Technology. Never before have we had so many cool toys to help us get healthy and lose weight. Learn to utilize technology like iPhone apps and online tools to upgrade your healthstyle.