it really depends on what your goals are. if it's about being one with the universe and you want to to vegan, i can't help you but there are plenty of people on here who can. if you want to lose weight then you really need to count calories (and read up, you'll soon find out a calorie is not just a calorie) and exercise. if it's overall health to extend your life expectance and lower your chance for diseases here are some pointers.

- cut out breads (including fries, potato chips, etc.) completely if you can. if not, eat wheat products. and make sure they're REAL wheat products and aren't just made with dyed baking flour.

- don't drink pop, ever. that shit is liquid candy. plus the acid in coke can take the rust off your bumper. imagine what it's doing to the enamel on your teeth. even those "diet" or "no calorie" pops mess up your glycemic response and leave you feeling more hungry.

- eat lean red meat one or two times a week. this will help your iron levels.

- eat chicken and fish everyday. these are great sources of protein and the fish oils contain your "good" fats.

- eat 5 or 6 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. and mix them up. i don't know why people were complaining about frozen veggies. they're great. try to eat many different colors. (that sounds weird)

- use olive oil instead of salad dressing (more good fats). but watch how much. that stuff is calorie dense.

- flaxseeds are another good source of "good" fats. GNC sells 28 servings cold milled flaxseeds for about 7 bucks. sprinkle them over your veggies or salads.

- eat spinach instead of lettuce.

- drink a gallon of water a day. i know, i know, that's a LOT. i rarely get that much myself. but the closer you get the better. plus, you'll have to use the bathroom more which will keep your urinary tract clean, and the extra walking doesn't hurt either.

- go easy on the dairy but don't cut it out. unless your body tells you otherwise.

- eat more, smaller meals. when you don't eat for 6 or seven hours your body goes into fasting mode and tries to store energy as fat. this fat ends up in your arteries and around organs. not good. try to get some protein and fruit/veggies every 3 or 4 hours.

- cook. you'll be surprised how much the way you eat and how much you eat will change if you prepare your own meals.

- take a multivitamin. ones that split it up into two pills every twelve hours are better than one-a-days.

if you're really serious you can keep a food log for a couple weeks. measure out servings, write down calories and protein and carbs and fat. do this for two weeks and it'll give you a great understanding of what it is you're really eating. i can go to a restaurant now and look at someone's plate and know faily accurately how many calories they're eating. it's way more than you think.

if you're trying to lose weight, be patient. unless you're grossly overweight, it's really not healthy to lose more than three or four pounds per month (that's right, i said MONTH). only weigh yourself once a week at the most. and at the same time. don't think you lost four pounds this week because you just dropped the kids off at the pool.

if you do these things i mentioned above your body will NOT like it. it's spent your whole life adjusting to the way you eat now. it'll take a month or two for it to adjust to the changes.

diet is only half of it, though. you also need to exercise. and get off that treadmill every once in a while and lift some weights. lean muscle mass burns more calories while you're just sitting there. don't worry about getting huge. it's much harder than it seems. trust me.

good sleep is important, too.

i know this is a lot of stuff. if you can follow these guidelines 75% of the time you'll be great. you could just try to incoorporate 2 or 3 of these ideas into your life each month. don't look for drastic changes right away. you have the rest of your life to live right. cheating is important, too. it helps keep you sane.

okay, i'm done. if anyone read all that i'll be amazed.