Any time of the year can be the right time to lose extra weight. Some people, however, find it particularly easy to get motivated in the spring.

According to weight management expert Jenny Craig, making positive lifestyle changes often goes along with being more active and spending more time outside. "It's really all about taking small steps to gradually adopt healthier eating behaviors and incorporate enjoyable ways to move more," said Ms. Craig. "I think of it as planting the seeds of change."

Here are some tips for spring cleaning your daily routine:

Enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables to reduce calories without sacrificing satisfaction. Freshly steamed asparagus, blanched green beans and chilled ripe strawberries have wonderfully robust flavor when picked at their peak.

Substitute a sprinkle of chopped walnuts for hollandaise sauce, a splash of olive oil for butter, and sliced almonds for whipped cream to keep the focus on heart-healthy fats.

Eliminate fattening casseroles, cream-based sauces and other winter "comfort foods." Instead, try a chef's salad filled with luscious tomatoes, lean meats and low-fat cheeses along with fresh berries garnished with fat-free whipped topping for dessert.

Tackle your spring-cleaning, dig out your gardening tools or chase your children at the playground. Just 30 minutes of brisk activity performed on most days of the week can contribute to a half-pound of weight loss in a week.

Grab your walking shoes and hit the pavement, beach or trails. Instead of focusing on how far you need to walk, pay attention to the unique sights, sounds and smells of spring. You'll feel rejuvenated by the time you return home.

Using comfortable weights, resistance tubes or cans of vegetables, add 15-20 minutes of light weight training twice a week to tone up muscles. For every pound of muscle you gain, you burn an extra 35 calories-which can add up to a 10-pound weight loss over the course of a year.

Adopt a fresh attitude. Just like a gardener can retrain a vine to grow in a new direction, so can a negative, judgmental thinking style by guided along a positive, objective path.

For more information on springtime eating, exercise tips or the Jenny Craig Program, visit www.jennycraig.com. (NAPSI)