Sometimes it feels like it's a race to finish my lunch. Scarfing down a sandwich between meetings hardly qualifies as quality mealtime, but it's my de facto eating style when I'm under the gun. It's also a habit I'm trying to fix. Here's why: People who eat quickly are three times as likely to be overweight as those who approach mealtimes mindfully. They also consume an extra 70 calories per meal (that's the equivalent of a Pilates class) because by the time their belly gets the memo that it's full, they've already devoured every last crumb. When we listen to our body, we're able to give it more of what it needs, and less of what it doesn't. It's such simple advice, but so often forgotten (even by me). To give my body time to process the food I've taken in, I chew each bite for 15 to 20 seconds, and try not to multitask while eating.

When it comes to sweets and treats, there is harm in "just looking." In one study, researchers doled out Hershey's Kisses to two groups of female office workers. One half of the women received them in opaque jars, while the other half got theirs in clear glass jars. Those who could see the chocolate ate 71 percent more. Conclusion: We eat what we see. Luckily, that goes for healthy food, too. A fruit basket placed in your line of vision will encourage smarter snacking.

To keep enticement at bay, ask coworkers to put their candy jars and baked treats in the kitchen, and donate a gorgeous opaque tin to the cause. To keep cookies and chips out of your house, steer clear of the junk food aisle at the grocery store. If you don't go there, you can't be tempted.

As another reminder, my desktop background -- the place that most people reserve for pictures of family members or palm trees -- features a colorful, screen-spanning picture of fruits and vegetables that look like they've just been plucked from a farmers market. It's a little unorthodox, but it keeps me from wandering into the kitchen -- where off-limit foods lurk.

The unfortunate truth: You can be a total gym junkie with consistent exercise habits, but if you sit for more than 23 hours a week, your risk of heart disease skyrockets. Meaning: Your sedentary time at the office, commuting or watching "Pretty Little Liars" marathons is a powerful negative influence on your overall health and lifespan.

Sure, I enjoy a good spinning sesh at work from time to time, but I also know that I don't need to dramatically change my habits to offset my sedentary time. Just a few minutes of movement every hour is proven to cut cholesterol, blood sugar and waist size. I accomplish this by walking to a coworker's desk to ask a question instead of sending an email, grabbing a glass of water in the kitchen or reorganizing my bookshelf during a commercial break. Bonus: When I'm feeling tired or uninspired, this short burst of movement gives me an instant energy boost, no caffeine required.

I act like an adult most of the time. I do my taxes, get my oil changed and even own place settings. But when putting together my own meal, it's hard for me to resist eating a plateful of mashed potatoes (weakness No. 1) or having ice cream for dinner (weakness No. 2). To keep my portions in check (something even Estée Lauder spokesmodel Joan Smalls says is tough, but vital to looking good), I try to live by these rules:

-Half of everything you eat should be a fruit or vegetable.

-Treat meat as a side dish.

-Dedicate one quarter of your plate to whole grains.

Listen, I love a pound-zapping juice cleanse as much as the next yoga-mat-toting Californian, but the numbers on the back of those multicolored bottles don't lie: Juice packs a whole lot of sugar. If you're looking for a beverage with flavor, try water infused with lemon, cucumber, mint or ginger. By drinking a single glass of water before meals, you'll eat 75 fewer calories. If you drink it iced, you can raise your resting metabolism by about 50 calories a day, because (the theory goes) your body burns more calories trying to warm up the cold water.

To keep things easy, I like to freeze bits of mint in ice cubes. Just add chopped mint to an ice cube tray, pour water over it and pop it into the freezer.