This healthy eating guide outlines some examples for eating healthy and constructing a plan for meals. Remember a healthy eating guide's effectiveness is really dependant on who it is being made for. Depending on your needs or circumstances some aspects of this guide may need modification.

Healthy Eating Guidelines:

1. Eat 6 meals throughout the day versus 3 big meals. These 6 meals would include snacks too. Eating more meals makes your metabolism work more efficiently

2. Eat slower. Eating too fast can lead to being full before your body has time to tell you. Slow down to allow your body to tell you when it's full. This causes overeating.

3. Make a slow gradual transition to your healthy eating before going all out and counting every fat, carb and calorie. Select whole grains, lots of vegetables, fruits, and cut out as much sugar and preservatives.

4. Find a diet plan that is congruent with who you are as a person. Many different diets work for many different people and vice versa. Just because the Atkins diet worked for "Jimmy" doesn't mean it will work for you. You do not want to FEEL like you are on a diet. It is very important that the diet you choose becomes part of who you are. And what this means is when you are following a certain plan it must not feel like it. It must start to just become who you naturally are.

5. If it is gut wrenching to follow a certain plan it's not worth it because no matter how disciplined you are you won't stick to it long term. So read reviews and learn about different diets and choose the one closest to who you are that gives you results.

Along with your healthy eating guide you should have a journal to track your progress. Make notes of how you feel on your plan and just make casual notes about activities you are doing or ways in which you are eating.

*Always consult with your doctor before starting a new fitness program.