Here's what you'll need: a food scale, white board, measuring cups and reusable containers. 

The one thing that people don't do when they prepare meals at home is actually measure out what you're going to eat. You know those scribbles on the side of the box labeled "Nutrition Facts?" Well, it's there for a reason and can help lead you to a healthier lifestyle. Instead of dumping a bunch of food in the pot look at the recommended serving. That way, you understand and know how many calories you're taking in at each meal so you don't go over your limit. It may take longer and be a bit tedious but this is one way you can start a healthier lifestyle. 

Another great way to monitor how much you eat is portioning out your meals into small reusable containers. You've probably seen these floating around on fitness accounts. Bodybuilders, athletes, and even families use these containers to portion out their meals to make sure they receive the proper amount of food that they need. At the beginning of the week cook up a whole bunch of food and put them in the containers so that all you have to do is heat it up. Not only is this a great technique for being healthy and losing weight but it also saves times for those who have little to no time at the end of the day to make a full meal. However, your container should be mostly veggies, then the protein of your choice, and lastly a carb or starch.

I've gone through how to properly portion of your food now here is the fun part. Get a white board and create a menu for yourself. Be creative and even try out fun recipes that you find online. The key is to have a healthy and delicious meal plan that gives you variety. You can even put in a day where you can cheat a bit and have some sweets. 

The first step is to toss out all of that junk food that you have in your cabinet and actually get some real food. If you're craving something salty have a bowl of organic sea salt popcorn with little to no butter. Want something sweet? Cut up your favorite fruit or have low calorie and low sugar ice cream. You can create a healthier lifestyle in a matter of days. Now, go and make some food.