It's no secret that if you're looking to lose weight or improve your overall health, the biggest thing you can do is eat properly. Eating plays such a huge role that a proper and healthy diet has been proven to drastically improve overall health and can severely improve or reverse the effects of certain diseases like diabetes!

There is a lesson there for us all.

According to Jennifer Cohen and many other health & fitness professionals, food is around 70% of the battle for a healthy lifestyle. We always say EATING is 70%, EXERCISING 30%, and MOTIVATION 100%. The math may not add up, but I think you get the point. Today we'll talk about eating.

EATING RIGHT

The best way to start eating properly is to plan meals ahead of time. We all have uber-busy schedules that load us up with unnecessary calories. Eat a quick bite of fast food, miss a meal so eat twice as much for the next, work to hard so want a super-treat...we all do it.

Here are 6 QUICK EATING TIPS to help you on your way:

1. KEEP A BALLPARK COUNT: Calories in + Calories out = Weight control. Personally I don't count but if I am having a crazy day or am travelling a lot, I know I am not burning as many calories. Those days I know I need to pay special attention to what I eat.

2. KEEP A LIST OF "APPROVED" PLACES TO EAT: Sounds stupid but keeping a list of favourite and healthy places you enjoy eating at makes it much easier. When you feel a sudden pang of hunger or need a quick bite to eat, this list will serve one purpose - to keep you AWAY from junk (greasy) food!

3. STICK TO THE PERIMETER OF THE GROCERY STORE: Think about it - that is where everything fresh is from vegetables to meets. Even frozen foods are healthier than what it's the center aisles where everything processed, canned, and refined is. When you go in the aisles, be conscious that you are on the dark side - keep it to tuna, salmon, condiments, and so on.

4. EAT ORGANIC WHEN YOU CAN OR WHEN YOU EAT THE PEEL: This can be very expensive so eat organic according to your budget. As a general rule, if you peel it you can go conventional. Animal products should be organic or at least natural as often as possible. A trick here is canned salmon - it is always wild!

5. ALWAYS EAT BREAKFAST! Why is it the most important meal of the day? Because it sets your appetite for the rest of the day. Think of your meals as proportional to the energy you will spend during the day: Breakfast should be the biggest because you have all day to burn it, followed by lunch, and then supper is the smallest since you're going to bed soon after. + it's much friendly on the wallet!

6. BRING YOUR OWN FOOD: You know how healthy and how many calories are in meal you prepare. It is not like when you eat at the restaurant and there are 200-300 hidden calories because the cook prepared your chicken breast on the same grill he fried bacon, you know exactly what is in there. Again, also much friendlier on the wallet!

Try to make 2 or 3 of these changes starting today. Once you're use to these add a few more and take note of how you feel and your energy levels. Next time we will cover some EXERCISE TIPS you can add in to really boost up your metabolism and complement your now improved eating habits!

NGR™ TEAM

For more tips, tricks, menus, recipes, and plans see No Gym Required: Unleash your Inner Rock Star.