Top 10 Tips for a successful eating plan

By Jonathan Uphoff

1. To boost you metabolism and keep energy levels high, eat 4-6 small meals every 3-4 hours throughout the day.

2. Make smarter choices on what foods you eat. -For your protein, choose meats that are low in fat such as chicken, turkey, or lean ground beef. -Try fiber-rich foods such as whole wheat breads and pastas and replace white rice with brown rice. -Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

3. Avoid condiments and dressings that are high in calories and fat.

4. Be conscious on how you prepare your meals. Try grilling or broiling your meats and steaming your vegetables. By frying or cooking meats in oil, you add a lot of useless and unnecessary calories. Shy away of cooking your vegetables in butter or creamy sauces.

5. Educate yourself on portion size. Buy a food scale and start to measure out all the foods you prepare.

6. Try to avoid eating out as much as possible. Unfortunately, you are unaware on how restaurants prepare their food.

7. When grocery shopping, avoid buying foods that will that will allow you cheat on your diet and eliminate all your "cheat" foods that are currently in your pantry.

8. Learn how to properly read nutrition labels and be more aware of the ingredients that are in your food.

9. Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners.

10. Make sure to take a multivitamin daily to receive the proper nutrients that your body requires.