If you think that cutting 100 calories a day doesn’t sound like it will make a difference in how you look and feel, think again. Start with that one simple change in January and you’ll drop 10 pounds in 2015.

It’s easier than you think:

1. Swap cow’s milk for almond milk

2. Swap a whole-wheat wrap for butter lettuce or collard green wraps

3. Swap potato chips for spinach chips

4. Pour only ½ a glass of wine and dilute with seltzer or sparkling water

5. Replace sour cream with hummus

6. Replace a glass of orange juice with an orange
7. Switch from whole-grain pasta to squash or zucchini spaghetti

8. Trade your morning muffin for chia seed pudding

9. Substitute homemade oil-and-vinegar-based dressings for bottled store-bought brands.

10. Use egg whites instead of the whole egg — yolks have approximately 55 calories each.

It’s easy to have a happy, stress-free holiday season when you’re living the Smart Life because you’re nourishing yourself from the inside out.

Every day, you expose your body to things that may cause infections or illness – think viruses, bacteria, mold, parasites and foreign proteins in foods. These outside agents are typically brought into your body through the mouth and nose. Your immune system is faced with the task of clearing out these bad agents, while keeping what your body needs to stay nourished and healthy.

This means keeping your immune system strong. Because 70% of your immune system is located in your digestive tract (e.g. your “gut”), it is also critical to keep your gastrointestinal systems healthy and in balance especially during the holidays when stress is higher and so are the opportunities to abandon your diet.

Here are some foods that strengthen your immune system and keep the balance of good bacteria in your gut in check:

1. Garlic — It’s a known infection fighter, thanks to its high concentration of an antimicrobial called allicin. Crush garlic and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking with it to activate the allicin (prep other veggies while you wait). Or, mix it with raw honey and eat on it’s own. Trust me, it’s worth the bad breath: Garlic protects you against colds, flu and possibly some cancers!

2. Leafy Greens — These antioxidant-packed and anti-inflammatory wonders protect from cancer and provide digestive support. They also bind to toxins and heavy metals in your body and flush them out so other minerals can do their job. Cook them in olive oil or coconut oil to help you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K found in them.

3. Carotenoids – Carotenoids are fat-soluble red, orange, green and yellow pigments (beta carotene, lycopene, lutein) produced by plants, which protect against cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Examples include carrots (of course), pumpkin, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, bell peppers, all leafy greens, tomatoes and peaches.

4. Healthy Fats — You’ll find these in coconut oil, olive oil and fatty cold-water fish like salmon and mackerel. They promote the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and keep your digestive tract working like it should.

5. Olive oil — An anti-inflammatory featuring oleic acid (omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acid) and vitamin E.

6. Coconut oil — This immunity revver boasts lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid that converts to monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin protects you against lipid-coated viruses such as herpes, HIV and measles. Plus, staph and strep bacteria are also deactivated by lauric acid.

7. Ginger — This virus and bacteria obliterator does it all! It’s an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, plus it helps ease digestive issues. Make a quick Ginger Tea: Chop a 1-inch slice of ginger into tiny bits and steep in 1 cup of hot water. Add lemon, nutmeg and cardamom for flavor. Sip and boost immunity!

8. Seeds — Pumpkin seeds are a fantastic source of zinc, a powerhouse immunity booster. Sesame seeds also relieve constipation, aid digestion, and stimulate blood circulation. Load up!

9. Mushrooms — Mother Nature’s antivirals, these little wonders are excellent disease fighters. Button mushrooms (white, cremini, portobello) are teeming with selenium (which fuels white blood cells in fighting infection) and B vitamins. Shiitake, maitake, and reishi also boast incredible anti-cancer properties.

10. Yogurt and Kefir — Both contain live active cultures that can help balance the gut bacteria, suppress harmful bacteria, and treat/prevent diarrhea. Both can be made with non-dairy ingredients for vegans.

Sometimes the smartest tips are also the easiest ones. This is definitely the case with my holiday survival tips below. They’re super simple, but will help you make big steps toward staying stress-free this season.

1. Stay organized. Keep your kitchen stocked with clean and healthy frozen foods, and make batches of soups and smoothies for the week.
2. Stick to your exercise routine. It’s the best way to de-stress. Take new classes to challenge you and keep it exciting. I love Soul Cycle’s new theme: Make December the new January!
3. Pack smart party food. Bring healthy dishes to holiday parties to guarantee you’ll have something to munch on. Trust me, no one has to know it’s good for them!
4. Eat a clean breakfast. Keep your breakfast routine consistent – say, chia seed pudding, smoothies or egg-white frittatas – so you know that at least one meal every day will be healthy and void of toxins.
5. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Whether in your tote, gym bag, or desk at work, stashing homemade trail mix or energy bars will prevent you from sneaking into the cupcakes and candy jars.

Believe it or not, a certain amount of fat is good for you. Despite the bad press it gets, fat is actually responsible for making your body leaner and healthier.

Sounds counterintuitive, but here are the facts:

1. Your hormones are all stabilized in a lipid ring—a fancy way of saying “fat ring”—which means fat makes hormones work better.
2. Key micronutrients, like vitamins D, E, A and K, are “fat soluble.” In other words, they need fat in order for your body to store and use them. Ironically, these are the same substances they keep your cells healthy and contribute to weight loss. Without them, the only things you’ll lose are hair and disease-fighting antioxidants.
3. It’s chemistry 101: “like dissolves like.” So if you want to release fat, you need fat to dissolve it.

Good Fats Vs. Bad Fats  

Not all fats are created equal. Healthy fats — the kind responsible for reducing heart disease, lowering cholesterol, shedding fat, controlling blood sugar levels and delivering nutrients to your body — include monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids.

The kind to reduce or eliminate from your diet are saturated and trans fats, which you’ll find hidden throughout everyday foods, such as:

• canola, corn, soy and safflower oils. They create inflammation, cause a variety of diseases and typically contain GMOs. Not to mention, you’ll find them in just about everything you eat.

• packaged and processed foods. Chips, snacks, candy, low- and non-fat brands, and even so-called healthy foods, like granola bars, are loaded with saturated and trans fats.

• restaurant meals, whether they’re fast food or gourmet. Eating out increases your intake of omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids, creating an imbalance in your ratio of omega 3s, 6s and 9s, and causing inflammation, disease and weight gain.

Top 3 Healthy Fats

1. Avocado — I recommend ½ avocado a day, eaten in the morning.
2. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) — shoot for 2 tablespoons per day
3. Coconut oil — 1 teaspoon a day

Supplement the above healthy fats with a few of these options on occasion:

• Pumpkin seeds — 1 tablespoon sprinkled into salads
• Flax seeds — 1 tablespoon blended in your smoothie or topped on oatmeal or chia seed pudding
• Organic clarified butter (ghee) — no more than 1 teaspoon in a day