Eat breakfast

Proven time and again, those who eat breakfast are more successful at controlling their weight than those that don't. Plus, when doing strength training exercises (and you know you should be), it's even more important to make certain you fuel those muscles after an overnight fast. The perfect time for burning fat because glycogen, blood glucose and insulin levels are all low.

Unfortunately, it may also be perfect for burning muscle, because glycogen levels are low, and levels of catabolic stress hormone cortisol are high. If you skip breakfast and eat lunch at noon, you’re not only in a highly catabolic (muscle wasting) state, you’re also sending an unmistakable starvation signal to your body.

Eat less sugar

Start reading labels! Sugar is hidden in almost every commercial food item. A single tablespoon of ketchup gets 3 of its 4 grams of carbs from sugar. A 12 oz can of cola has a staggering 40 grams of sugar, and ALL of carbs in a cola are sugar! Why does that matter?

Simple sugars are digested very quickly and cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. Your body then releases large amounts of insulin. Insulin quickly clears glucose from bloodstream leading to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia.) Low blood sugar causes cravings, hunger, weakness, mood swings and decreased energy. These cravings for sugar result in a vicious cycle of ups and downs in blood sugar levels throughout day.

Eat More Often

Studies have shown that those who eat 4-6 smaller meals per day have less body fat than those eating 2-3 meals a day, even if both groups eat about same number of calories. This is because of maintaining steady blood sugar levels. Too much insulin activates fat storage enzymes and forces fat in bloodstream into fat cells for storage.

High insulin levels also inhibit enzymes that promote breakdown of existing stored body fat. You can manage your blood sugar and insulin levels by choosing fewer simple carbohydrates, more complex carbohydrates, eating fiber and having your carbohydrates with lean proteins approximately every three hours.

Eat protein

Be sure to include enough protein for your level of activity (you are exercising…right?)

Protein speeds up your metabolism because your body has to work harder to digest, process, and utilize it compared to fats or carbs.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 1: DRINK 8-10 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY

Okay, for many people this is a big problem. Water doesn’t taste all that great generally because water doesn’t really “taste” like anything. Drinking water 8 to 10 times each day gets easier more you actually do it. It is simply a matter of conditioning your taste buds, and yourself, so that it becomes easier to do. Once you get started, you will begin to crave water.

To begin with, you should drink a glass of water in morning first thing, before you eat. This is probably easiest glass you will drink all day and it will help you remember to drink water all day long. Better yet, why not drink two glasses?

If you really cannot bear taste of water, try using a water purifying pitcher or filter. You can also add a few drops of lemon or lime to your water – but no sugar or sweetener! Ice also helps.

Check out flavored waters on market, too. Just keep an eye out for additives.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 2: EAT BREAKFAST

Do not skip breakfast. If you need to go to bed a little earlier so that you can get up 20 minutes earlier each morning – do it! Breakfast is so important to your good health and to weight control. According to Dr. Barbara Rolls a professor of nutrition at Penn State University, "Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn't rev back up until you eat again."

Eating breakfast is not only good for overall weight loss, it will help you stay on track with your diet rest of day. You are more likely to binge on something sweet and in “bread” group if you skip breakfast.

You can always keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in fridge or some high-fiber, low starch fruit around. If you plan to eat fruit at all during day, breakfast is perfect time to do it. SUCCESS TIP NO. 3: EAT AT LEAST 3 MEALS AND 2 SNACKS EACH DAY

This can be one of hardest adjustments to make. After all, you are busy! You already have a “full-plate”. When do you have time to worry about filling your plate with more frequent meals?

Just like eating breakfast will increase your metabolism, so will eating more often. This will also help you curb your bad-carb intake by making sure that your snacks are planned and occur regularly throughout day.

Really, it will just take a minimal investment of planning time at grocery store and at home each morning before you head out for day to make some healthy food choices and prepare a few healthy snacks and meals. For suggestions, just see handy list of snacks and appetizers listed later.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 4: AVOID WHITE FOODS

This is one easy way to remember what not to eat. If it is made from sugar, flour, potatoes, rice or corn - just say no. Remembering this rule of thumb will make it easier to recognize those rice cakes as an unhealthy high-carb snack.

Always look for colorful fruits and veggies to substitute for white ones. Buy broccoli, lettuce, bell peppers, green beans and peas, brown rice in moderation, leafy greens like kale and spinach, apples, melons, oranges and grapes.

These foods are not only colorful they are also high in fiber, nutrients and important antioxidants. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables will give your diet variety as well as give you added health benefits.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 5: EAT YOUR VEGGIES