I really want to start eating healthier but I'm not sure where to start.

The big thing is getting lots of fruits and vegies into your diet. As far as carbs, you should be eating whole grains and not processed white bread or rice. Eat things like quinoa, farro, wheat berries and pasta made from rice or whole wheat. Cut down on processed food. Stop eating out. There is a lot of hidden calories and sodium in restaurant food. Have healthy fats like avocado and nuts instead of fried foods.

There are lots of healthy recipes on-line. Eat smaller meals more often. You should be eating at least 4 - 6 times a day. It keeps your metabolism going.

Ideas for breakfast: Oatmeal with cinnamon, nuts and diced apples or handful of berries. Whole grain cereal with low sugar and plain almond milk (or skim but it has more sugar). One egg loaded with veggies (spinach, peppers, onions etc), whole wheat toast with peanut butter that has has no hydrogenated oils,
Lunch and or dinner: whole wheat tortilla grilled and filled with veggies and one slice of cheese, grilled chicken on salad with balsamic vinegar and fresh orange juice (this is really good and has a summer taste to it), Grilled portabella sandwich (roasted red pepper, mozz, spinach, red onion, balsamic marinated portabella), whole wheat sesame chicken pasta served cold with a small salad., turkey burger on whole wheat bun, Grilled or baked Salmon with a vegetable (broccoli, asparagus, etc.) with salad. If you want a starch a small helping of brown rice, small sweet potato with cinnamon. Coupons....

You can get coupons for brown rice, whole wheat pasta, almond milk, cheese, whole wheat breads, oatmeal. And for the rest just watch the sales. You can get chicken for a low price once on sale. A bag of apples and oranges are low priced!

Just switch unhealthy foods for healthy. Instead of all meat eat more fruits and vegitables. Eat leaner meats instead of fatty ones. Drink more water! Eat more vegitables and fruit than meat at a meal. Switch sugar cereaks for branflakes. Add variety to your diet: fish, chicken, turkey, beef. Pork is a highly fatty meat I would eliminate this if not cut down the pork intake to a minimal. Drink 100% juice. Walk everyday to help digestion.

I have a hard time making a ton of changes at once. I cut out all beverages that have calories, and that still leaves me most of the things I really like: tea, coffee, and bottled water. I use lemon in the water, or sometimes those crystal lite packets. You would be amazed at how many calories you drink in a day if you don't make a conscious effort not to.

Beyond that, I just try to up my intake of fruits and vegetables. When I focus on what I can eat instead of what I "can't", I do better. I like carrots, cucumbers, salads, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, bananas, etc. I would actually prefer to have those things than other snack foods...but they're a bit more expensive. Still, if I am willing to spend $3 on a blizzard at Dairy Queen, it shouldn't seem so bad to spend $3 on some fruit that is better for me and that I would prefer anyway!

I heard this helpful hint several years ago on a talk show. Diet changes have to start in the grocery store. You can not eat what you do not buy. I found this helpful hint to be the single most important change I made.

I go to the farmers market and the butcher.. makes it hard to buy prepackaged crap.

Know what the proper portion sizes are.
Eat more natural, less pre-packaged, take out and fast food.
Know your calorie needs.
Know the calories in the foods you eat.
I don't do coupons. If there is a coupon for it, chances are it's not healthy.
Learn to prepare meals.
Cut out Soda, even diet soda.
Cut out high sugar foods, high sodiom, fried, and empty starches like white bread. Whole wheat is better for the gut.
Don't worry about fat. Just stay within your calorie needs.

Once you know what you should been eating, meal planning takes practice. But you need meals that you know are winners first so write down every meal your family loves. Build up to at least 15 different meals per day, per meal time. Variy and add to as needed.
Summer meals are different than winter so you will have eventually 30 different daily menus to adjust over time.

Try picking up a copy of Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet.
It will teach all about eating healthy

I don't like counting calories. (Sorry, I don't believe in solely depending on it.) Some traditional/cultural foods I eat are supposedly over a 1k so it doesn't work for me. On the flip side, when I see that Baskin Robbins has a chocolate milkshake thing that's in the 2ks, WALK AWAY.

First things I would do:
- Do a light run or speed walk before eating. It helps curb the appetite.
- Drink more water. Personally, I have trouble sitting there and drinking cups of just plain water so I either ice it or get Lipton tea bags. They have these amazing pyramid shaped bags gahhhhh. My personal favorite is the Island Mango and Peach. No sweetener. Just leave the bag in the water and keep refilling the cup until you can't taste the flavor any more. Scrap and repeat.
-DON'T cut out 10 things from your diet at once. It will fail. Cut soda one week, then week 2 fried foods and soda. Easier.