Making adjustments to your diet may be difficult. To follow the DASH eating plan, it may be best to start making the changes gradually, such as adding an additional serving of vegetables to your lunch, then dinner. Also, don’t worry about occasionally slipping from the program. Because DASH represents a lifestyle change, one day of eating poorly will not cause any long-term problems. The important thing is to start the next day back on the program.

In addition, some individuals do better with specifically planned menus. It may be helpful to keep a record of all your meals and snacks to determine how closely you are following the plan. Using a dietitian may also help you with meal planning and monitoring.

Some tips that may help you with the DASH eating plan include:

• Do add a serving of vegetables at lunch.
  
  
  
• Do use half the butter, mayonnaise, salad dressing or other fat items that you normally use. Trying using low-fat or non-fat alternatives as a substitute.
  
  
  
• Do eat fruit as a snack. An apple or banana is perfect for those hungry times between meals. These foods are much healthier for you than chips and cookies.
  
  
  
• Do watch what you drink. Replace soda, sugary teas or punches and alcoholic beverages with fat-free (skim) or  1 percent milk. This will not only help  you cut back on your sweets, but will also help you meet the DASH diet’s dairy requirements.
  
  
  
• Do learn serving sizes. Serving-sizes are a guideline to help you change not only what you are eating, but also how much of each type of food you are eating. While all the numbers and charts are initially cumbersome, they will become second nature once a daily routine has been set.
  
  
  
• Do learn to read food labels. Much of the sodium in our diet is added to foods while processing. To lower your intake of sodium, begin by removing the salt shaker from the table. Gradually lower the amount of salt added during cooking and instead try herbs, spices, lemon or sodium-free seasoning blends to flavor your food. You can also rinse canned foods to lower their sodium content. Lastly, read food labels and compare sodium content of foods when shopping. Select the items that have the highest nutritional value with the lowest sodium content.
  
  
  
• Do experiment with vegetarian dishes or dishes with little meat and more vegetables and grains. These include stir-fry meals, pasta dishes and casseroles. These healthy and tasty alternatives will add spice and variety to your diet.
  
  
  
• Do change your shopping list. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables on your weekly shopping list and buy less meat. 
  
  
  
• Do feed your cravings for sweets with sugar-free gelatin or dried fruit. Fat-free or low-fat frozen yogurt can replace high-fat ice cream.
  
  
  
• Do keep it simple. Remember that you are not trying to stay on a short-term diet. You are changing your lifestyle. The simpler you keep your meals, your goals and your tasks, the easier they will be to maintain.
  
  
  
• Do keep a record. Keeping a diary or a logbook can help you keep track of the number of servings you are eating in each category. Plus, seeing what you are eating in black and white is a great way to check your progress. It can also help you to identify patterns and triggering events that put you off track.
  
  
  
• Do celebrate success. Reward yourself for every accomplishment but not with food.
  
  
  
• Don’t make meat the center of your meal. Although meat contains nutrients that are good for the body, it is also high in saturated fat and cholesterol, not to mention calories. You can continue to enjoy meat as part of a balanced meal rather than the whole meal. Remember to make this change gradually. If you typically eat more than the suggested amount of meat, reduce your portions by a third for one week. After a week, cut back another third until your serving sizes of meat are equal to the DASH serving size of 3 ounces.
  
  
  
• Don’t try to do it all at once. You will be more successful if you make gradual changes in your eating habits. If you are used to large portions, cut them back by a half or a third at each meal.
  
  
  
• Don’t be discouraged by occasional lapses. They happen, but you should determine why the lapse occurred so you can avoid that same trigger in the future. Was it a holiday party that got you off track? Stress due to a problem at work? Learn from the mistake and move on; it is all a process of change, and change takes time and patience.