It’s February, which means it’s officially American Heart Month. For those of us who have let our fitness routines and better eating pledges from the New Year fall to the wayside, this awareness campaign couldn’t have come at a better time. With the encouragement of the American Heart Association, it's time to make some serious lifestyle changes and commit to being “healthy for good.”

Fortunately, making this change doesn’t mean strict calorie counting or giving up our daily bites of dark chocolate. It simply means eating smart. For some, that means preparing healthy meals at home with family. But for those less inclined to cook, it means being aware of what we’re putting into our bodies—whether we’re dining at our favorite restaurant or ordering delivery.

To make this new healthy eating journey easier, we’ve enlisted the help of local dietitian and nutritionist, Mary Wells, M.S., RDN, LN. Wells recommends limiting sodium, salt, saturated fats, processed foods, trans fats, sweets and added sugars. Instead, she suggests incorporating more whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, fruit, low-fat or fat-free dairy and plant-based fats. Within these guidelines, she says we can still enjoy meals from our favorite restaurants. In fact, Wells recently joined with Chef Shuttle to highlight heart-healthy options on more than 50 of the restaurant delivery service’s menus in central Arkansas. (Check out her full menu cheat sheet here).

Regardless of what you choose to eat, Wells says to pay attention to serving sizes. Even if it’s a healthy menu item, don’t always eat the full plate. Adjust the portion size to fit your individual age, gender or activity level. And, if you have any trouble determining the right amount, consult the American Heart Association’s serving size chart.

With these tips in mind, are you ready to kick the excuses to the curb and hop on board with American Heart Month? You can help us stay motivated by sharing your meals with #FITArkansas on Facebook or Instagram.*

*If you order one of Chef Shuttle’s heart-healthy menu items, throw in #chefshuttlehearthealthychallenge, tag @chefshuttlecentralarkansas and get rewarded for your good behavior with a free delivery code. Each post ups your chance of winning the grand prize, which includes a $100 Chef Shuttle gift card, $100 Taziki’s gift card and one-hour consultation with Wells in either wellness, weight loss or sports nutrition.