eating healthy questions..

Water is definitely the way to go and make sure you drink enough. MFP suggest 9 cups: go for 9 or more always.

As for what to look for in labels, my big ones are:
Calories
Carbohydrates
Sodium
Protein
Fiber

These are also the ones I picked to track on MFP. A good way to gage is that every label will also show the category's "per serving" % vs. suggested daily intake. This can help. Finally, make sure to check what the serving size is. Sometimes you'll see something low in cal or carbs, but the serving is 2 tbs when you know you would eat 6x that.

Eat as little processed foods as possible. Stick with lean proteins, fruits, veggies, etc. I agree with the poster who said if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it. I read once that when you grocery shop, stick to the edges - meats, produce, dairy - and stay away from the boxed and canned foods in the middle. My husband and I have been doing this and it really works for us. Good luck and way to go on the workouts!!!! I'm doing well on the healthy eating part but not the exercising.

Well done on your progress so far! that's some going, but I think you are just right in starting to think about the quality of the food and drinks you are having. I'll happily pass along the info given to me by the dietician and nutritionalist I've spoken with. Basically a calorie is not just a calorie. Some calories are better than others, so it's important to be mindful of that when choosing what to eat and drink. Basically, eat a carb, a protein, a dairy and a fruit/veg at your 3 main meals. But have snacks too (at each snack you should try to have a little protein) so you should eat every 3hrs or so. I found this very difficult to start because it just felt like I was eating all the time, but now I can tell when it's getting to snack time because of my hunger. Definitely be conscious of processed foods, because there are usually lots of hidden sugars and salts etc. With regards to fluid intake, it's not just water you should count. all liquids count as a fluid, e.g. tea, coffee, fruit juice etc but the benefits you get from these compared to just pure water are very different. The amount of fluid intake you need can depend on your size, but if you are getting the usual recommendations of 8 glasses then that should give you a good start, my thoughts are to tweak it around what suits you best etc with regards to your thirst and your training. I know for me if I get 1.5 litres a day it keeps me hydrated nicely without me constantly having to pee, but I don't include what I drink when I'm training, so on those days I'd be drinking more.

Good luck with it all!