When it's time to start losing weight and eating healthy, experts say don't use the "D" word.
"The best to do it is not thinking of it as a diet," says health, fitness and nutrition expert Skye Sanky.
Sanky says one of the first ways to get started with eating better is meal prep. For newbies, it may be intimidating.
"A simple start to meal prep would be crockpot recipes," says Sanky. They don't have to be anything elaborate. She says you can start with something as simple as chicken, rice,
and broccoli.
"It seems so basic, but you throw it all in a crockpot and you have quite a few meals for days."
If that's still too much, there are several local Tampa Bay area companies that sell pre-made meals that you can order for the week.
If you're someone who likes to eat out every now and then remember, the chef can be your friend!
"When you order chicken or fish, when they broil or bake it you can ask them instead of using butter, they can use lemon juice," Sanky suggests.
Just because you want to substitute for something healthier, there are still delicious options. Instead of fries, try sweet potato fries, or a baked potato.
And, guess what? It is okay to cheat!
"It didn't take you one day to get skinny, it's not going to take one day to blow up," says Sanky.
Just try to keep the cheats to once a week. The key is to figure out what you're craving so you can find healthy alternatives to fill you up and satisfy you.