Nine servings of fruits and veggies each day? That's the federal government's recommendation, but reality can knock that notion.

Nutritionists suggest that an effective way to get your nine servings of produce is to make sure you add a serving at each meal over what is your norm. Make it a habit whether you are home or on-the-go. Plus, include a piece of fresh fruit for either a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. If those changes get you up to nine servings, great. If not, then consider them to be your first small steps.

Or you can take a broader-based approach that gets to your heart first and stomach second.

“I tell people to make their biggest commitment to gratitude,” said Julie Burns, nutritionist and owner of SportFuel, a Chicago-based company that counsels clients (including sports teams such as major league baseball’s Chicago White Sox and pro hockey’s Chicago Blackhawks) on creating more energy and high performance. “Nine servings per day is tough. I suggest that people be grateful for those days they get all nine and not beat themselves up on other days.”

Burns does have a practical secret she shares with her elite athlete clients and suburban parents alike: “I tell people to find a way to have a green drink every day,” she said, whether you juice at home (a lot of work to do it right) or find a health food store that juices or makes a green form of smoothies.

Burns’ proposal of not giving up on yourself can bring power to your fitness goals. That goes even when you head hits the pillow.

“Let’s say you want to get more sleep, but you have night or stretch of nights where you don’t succeed,” said Burns. “You can say, ‘Oh, I blew it, this is hopeless’ or you can be grateful for what sleep you did get. By not focusing on the negative, you leave room for more positive changes.”

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.