Making small goals or simple changes is a more sustainable way to lose weight than massive, life-altering changes. Here are our top seven tips to boost weight loss — whether you’re just starting or you’ve been on the weight loss track for a while. 

1. Eat Protein at Breakfast 

Research shows that eating protein at breakfast is more beneficial for weight loss and building muscle than eating protein later in the day. Plus, a protein-packed breakfast increases your satiety and will give you long-lasting energy to make it until lunch without relying on unhealthy mid-morning snacks. 

2. Hydrate First Thing

Even before you eat your protein-filled breakfast, getting hydrated is the first step to a healthy day. Often, dehydration can feel a lot like hunger, so making sure you’re fluid-filled can reduce the chances of eating when you’re not hungry. 

3. Go to Bed Earlier 

This step can help boost weight loss in two ways. First, getting more sleep (but not too much!) promotes a healthy weight — 7 to 8 hours of sleep is ideal. Second, many people snack on unhealthy foods, desserts, or alcohol in the late evening hours, so going to bed earlier can help cut out these cravings. 

4. Prep Your Food 

As quoted by Alexander Graham Bell, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” Bell had it right — preparing your meals and snacks for the next couple of days is paramount to weight loss success. You don’t need to prep every meal for weeks on end, but at least planning for the next day’s meals can eliminate the chances that you’ll stop at a fast-food restaurant on your way home from work. 

5. Increase Your Exercise Motivation

We can often get into exercise ruts, which lower our motivation to continue working out. Try buying yourself a new workout outfit, ask a friend to join you, or go to a different workout class that you’ve never tried before. 

6. Place Healthy Food in View

Out of sight, out of mind — what we can’t see, we often forget about! Although the best practice is to keep unhealthy food out of the house altogether, simply placing it in a lesser-used cabinet can lower the likelihood that you’ll eat it. Instead, place healthy snacks like fruit, veggies, or nuts out on the counter where you’ll see them every day.

7. Up Your Fiber 

Fiber is like a secret weapon for weight loss — and most people don’t even know about it! Fiber is highly satiating, helps our digestion move smoothly, and even helps to lower cholesterol. Meals that are higher in fiber will result in you eating less and staying fuller for longer. High-fiber foods include beans and legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.