Every bite that you take has an impact on your body. When you eat fattening and processed foods, you feel tired and sluggish. You might notice weight gain and energy loss that make it even harder to hit the gym.

Fortunately, you don't need to eat limp vegetables and rice cakes to feel full and energetic. Building a healthy plate means choosing colorful, flavorful foods that make you look forward to every meal.

Divide Up Your Plate

As you prepare your meals for the week, fill every box with a combination of fruits and vegetables, protein, and whole grains. Choose lean meats, such as seafood and grilled chicken, over red meat. Oats, barley, and brown rice are filling and packed with fiber.

You can add small amounts of dairy, such as cheese and yogurt, but avoid highly processed foods. Hummus makes a tasty dip for raw vegetables. If you love crunchy snacks, make trail mix with peanuts, almonds, walnuts, grains, and dried fruits. Cook your meals with healthy oils, such as olive and sunflower oil.

Consider Your Drinks

What you drink is just as important as the food on your plate. If you drink soda or sugary beverages, you're still guzzling harmful chemicals. So-called diet soda can still increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Likewise, coffee is loaded with caffeine that causes anxiety, irritability, insomnia, and even osteoporosis.

Instead of soda, bring a two- or three-liter water bottle to work and drink throughout the day. Mix it up with natural fruit juice and smoothies if you get bored. You can blend anything in a smoothie, including fruit, nuts and seeds, yogurt, and non-dairy milk.

Overall, you can still enjoy sweet, salty, and processed foods in moderation, but make healthy meals the bulk of your diet.