Restock your Pantry

Restocking your kitchen with nutritious food and keeping healthy staples on hand will guarantee your success. Aim for whole foods like lean meats and seafood, beans and lentils, whole-wheat pasta and a wider range of fruits and vegetables.

And when you're in the grocery store, remember this helpful tip: Primarily shop the perimeter of the store. That's where all the fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood will be. The aisles of the store contain mostly processed foods. And while you may want to still grab some canned beans or frozen vegetables, that's not where the bulk of your shopping should happen.

Also important to keep in mind is the fact that you're not on a fad diet; you're making a healthier lifestyle choice for the long run. You need to shop for foods that will give you a bigger nutritional bang for your buck.

If this is a battle, then your kitchen is the war room. It's where you plan your long-term strategy and manage your arsenal. To make sure your war room is properly equipped, you should:

Replace junk food with healthy snack alternatives like nuts, fruits, veggies.

Prep as much as possible in advance and portion out individual meals for grab-and-go ease. Shop smart and restock your kitchen with the right foods.

If your fridge and pantry are stocked with healthy foods, then you'll feel great with everything you eat and the small indulgences you do enjoy won't make you feel guilty (it's about living, not deprivation). You'll see the payoff in your energy levels, your waistline and your overall health.