Lose weight - who hasn't written that in their New Year's resolutions once or twice? Whether it's to lose weight, bulk up, or get that swimsuit body, we all have our personal goals that we want to reach for ourselves.

It may be surprising to some but great bodies actually start in the kitchen. Most people exercise until they're completely wiped out in the gym but pass by the donut shop before they go home. If you're not fully in control of your eating habits, all that hard work exercising won't pay off.

So here at GH Personal Training, we say start the New Year right! Here are some nutrition tips straight from our best personal trainers in Chicago:

Eat a healthy and filling breakfast.

Yes, you’ve heard that before. But really, stop rushing out the door every morning. Load up on oatmeal with fruit or egg whites with veggies instead of passing by your local coffee shop for that morning macchiato and muffin! Starting the day right with a balanced diet will help you crave more nutrient-dense food the rest of the day. Junk food calling out your name while at work? Try bringing apples and unsalted nuts for a healthy snack that won't make you crash later.

Make the commitment and stick to the nutrition plan.

As a personal trainer in Chicago myself, winter months are often the hardest for me. The cold weather just really brings out those crazy cravings for warm steamy comfort foods and starchy crabs! But don't lose heart, keep your head up, and stick to the plan. It'll pay off when your workout comes along and your body focuses on building muscle instead of working off those unwanted carbohydrates.

Don't jump on the fad diet bandwagon.

All liquids or all grapefruit? Those may be great if you want to lose a pound or two this week and then gain ten pounds the next. Realize that by starving yourself, you might even gain more weight. Starving promotes binging. A better choice is to increase the number of meals and water intake while decreasing portion size. Feed yourself small nutrient-dense meals such as small salads packed with vegetables. Your body will love that it is getting fed more and will not create starvation hormones that can wreak havoc in your system.

And last but not least, enjoy eating. It is not true that all the good meals are the ones that are bad for you. There are many tasty and healthier alternatives to your favorite meals. The key is to know how to make substitutes. If you're interested in more specific nutrition plans that are tailor-fit to your needs, it's best that you talk to a Chicago personal trainer or nutritionist to help you.

Remember that there is no substitute for good health! Start applying these weight-loss strategies today.