There are many facets of nutrition and most everything you read will contradict something else. Start with the simple foundational ways to eat and learn how to keep this up for life.

Simple tips:

1. You need at least 1500 calories a day period. No matter how big or small, male or female, no less than 1500 a day. Most people should be more around 2500.
   
   
2. You need to up your protein. I am conflicted with protein shakes. I think they are a good start and needed at the beginning of your journey, but the more I learn, the more I am convinced that learning how to eat is more needed than all the protein powders. Proteins are the only food that help the body repair and build muscle. Muscle burns fat. Moral of the story, get more protein. When you are looking at protein powders, make sure they are at least 25 grams of protein per scope and no more than 150 calories and no more than 8 grams of sugar.
   
   
3. Carbs are not the enemy but they should be watched. I’m not going to get into the white carbs vs. whole-wheat stuff. Just try and cut your carbs out after lunch. Make sure you’re not building your meal around your carbs. Let your carbs be a little extra to your meal. It’s in addition to, not the whole thing. You want to focus more on complex carbs like veggies as much as you can.
   
   
4. Vegetables are the only type of food you can have as much as you want. Eat up! Eat a variety of veggies everyday. They not only have the obvious multitude of health benefits, but they also allow your body to absorb more protein. What does that mean? You’ll build more lean muscle and burn more fat.
   
   
5. Fruit is great but too much is still too much sugar. Sugar is your worst enemy for losing fat. You should be getting fruit, but like carbs, cut them after lunch.
   
   
6. You should be eating something every couple hours at least. If you are munching on healthy food all day, your metabolism will be a well-oiled machine. Eat as soon as you wake up and continue until you go to bed. You’ll only need to think about it for about a week, then your body will tell you it’s time to eat.
   
   
7. Drink more water. You drink a lot already, drink more.

Here are some simple food choices to change up your diet:
Choose only one from each area.

Breakfast: First Thing

• Oatmeal w/or without Fruit. - 4 eggs, yes 4
• Half of an avocado on Toast
• Peanut Butter Toast
• Protein Shake
• For a cleanse: Eat only watery fruits. Watermelon, grapes etc
  
  

Snack: 2 Hours Later

• Raw Almonds
• Raw Veggies w/or without humus
• Protein Shake
• Fruit - If you are doing the cleanse, keep up with the fruit
  
  

Lunch: 2 Hours Later

• Well-filled sandwich. Sandwiches can be a very healthy meal as long as they are made right. Lean meat, balance of fat (cheese), carbs (bread, tortilla), veggies (tomato, lettuce) & protein
• Peanut Butter and honey sandwich
• Continued cleanse will be more fruit
  
  

Snack: 2 Hours Later

• Repeat morning snack but no fruit anymore

 

Dinner: 2 Hours

• Lean protein and veggies. No more carbs at thins point
  
  

Snack: 30 min before bed

• Protein shake
• Cottage cheese
• Raw almonds
  
  

Final Tips:

• Try and stay away from regular milk. Almond is the best alternative. Soy is terrible for everyone.
• Each meal should be around 300-400 calories. Snacks should be around 200.
• Sugars need to be cut as much as possible.
• The cleanse portion of the meal plan should only be done every couple months at max.
• There are much more things to add or take away from this list. This is just a simple way to help change your ways.