Less glamorous than its strength-training counterpart, yet significantly MORE IMPORTANT to fat loss is nutrition.  You can be a die hard gym-fanatic, but if your diet is full of processed foods, bad fats, or just too many calories, then no amount of gym time will be enough to transform your body.

So, for those of you who are not only trying to lose weight, but keep it off for good, then you what you really need is a solid nutrition plan to follow.

And so the first order of business is to determine just how many daily calories your body needs.  Once you have that figured out, then you’ll need to set up some guidelines for determining your meal plan, shopping needs, and ways that you can eat better for fat loss.

Remember, fat loss isn’t easy, but by following these 12 proven methods for improving your diet, your fat loss journey will soon appear a lot less difficult.

1. Prepare a weekly menu. Outline each meal and snack for every day of the upcoming week. Take into account the possibilities that you might work late or get invited out to lunch. The more options you have and preparations you make, the better you will be able to stick to your fat loss plan.