15 Small Changes You Can Make to Lose Weight Faster

Keep a food journal

Mindlessly munching on a bag of chips could result in easily polishing off the whole thing. But writing down all the meals and snacks you've eaten can help you practice better portion control. It will also help you figure out how you can make smarter food choices. For example, if you're hankering for a bag of potato chips around 3 p.m. at the office every day, keep a bag of cashews by your desk so you're not making a trip to the vending machine.

Journaling can also serve as a reality check on your other eating habits, says Lutes. Do you skip meals? Eat the same meals during the week as on the weekend? Binge eat when you're feeling stressed? "Knowing your routine helps you figure out what changes are right for you," she adds. (This journal will make you feel unbelievably organised)

Find every opportunity to move more

And we're not just talking about going for a walk during your lunch break. Get moving during your favourite TV shows. Do star jumps, run in place, go up and down some stairs, start dancing - anything that gets your heart rate up so you feel somewhat breathless, says Geralyn Coopersmith, a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Do it for each 2-minute commercial break while you're watching your favourite TV show, and you'll burn an extra 1,100kJ (270cal) a day - which can translate to a 12kg weight loss in a year.

Limit packaged, processed foods

Packaged foods tend to be high in sodium, fat, and sugar, so you want to try to limit them as much as possible from your diet. Pick your top five processed foods, whether it be biscuits, crackers, chips, or lollies, and gradually downshift. "If you're eating six of these foods a week, try to go down to five," Lutes advises. Each week, drop another food until you're at no more than one or two. At the same time, replace them with healthier snacks, like baby carrots with hummus, Greek yoghurt and fresh berries, or natural peanut butter with an apple.

Go on more walks throughout the day

How often do you jump in the car to make a trip less than a couple of kilometres? More often than you think! Burn kilojoules instead of petrol by following this rule: If your errands are less than 2km away, walk to do them at a brisk pace. Or, park your car, where you can run several errands within a kilometre, instead of moving your car each time.

Incorporate strength training into your routine

Basic bodyweight exercises, like squats and push-ups, are a simple way to build more metabolism-revving muscle in minutes at home without picking up a single weight. "Your muscles don't know the difference between working against your body's own resistance and on a fancy piece of equipment," says fitness researcher Dr Wayne Westcott. "The one rule to follow is that each exercise should fatigue your muscles within 60 to 90 seconds," he says. For extra burn, you can add a resistance band to basic moves.

Try this mini-workout: Do 10 reps each of knee push-ups, squats, crunches, lunges, and chair dips. Then gradually increase the number of reps it takes for your muscles to feel fully fatigued.

Prepare your own lunch

You'll save thousands of kilojoules - not to mention hundreds of dollars - over the course of a year if you pack your lunch more often. For example, a pre-made chicken Caesar wrap from a chain restaurant has 2,552kJ (610cal) - 40 percent of which come from fat. It also has 1,440 milligrams of sodium, which is more than half the recommended daily amount.

Make your own with sandwich at home with chicken breast on whole-wheat bread with light mayo, tomatoes, and Romaine lettuce. This will help you cut kilojoules and sodium. "When you make and eat your own food, you not only control the quality and portion sizes but also reduce the amount of sugar, salt, and fat that you're consuming, which can be significantly higher in restaurant fare," says dietitian Ashley Koff.

Enjoy dessert

It might sound contradictory to treat yourself to dessert when you're trying to lose weight, but the truth is, depriving yourself of treats can lead to overeating. Instead, portion out one serving of your favourite treat. Take a minute to smell it, look at it, and savour each bite. Chew slowly, moving it around your mouth and focusing on the texture and taste. As you do this, ask yourself whether you want another bite or if you feel satisfied. Tuning into your body will help you eat more mindfully and feel more satisfied.

"When you take the time to slow down and be more mindful of what something really tastes like, you'll feel more satisfied," says Lutes. "Many people will find that they're content after just a couple of bites and are better able to stop eating when they're satisfied," she explains.

Sip wisely

Skip fruit juice, which tends to be loaded with sugar, and enjoy a healthy smoothie instead. Smoothies are a much healthier choice than fruit juices because they keep the fibre from fruits and vegetables intact, making them more filling and nutritious. But not all smoothies are created equally. It's important to prepare a smoothie that has a good balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. That means not loading it up with just fruit. Get muscle-building protein from protein powders, low-fat milk or unsweetened nut milk, Greek yoghurt, or porridge. Add volume and extra fibre from dark, leafy greens, frozen cauliflower and other veggies. Top your smoothie with chopped nuts for a boost of healthy fats.

To promote satiety, eat your smoothie in a bowl with a spoon, rather than slurping it down with a straw. "When you chew a food, you generate more saliva, which in turn carries a message to the brain that your gut needs to get ready for digestion," explains Koff. "Drinking doesn’t require such digestion, so the body doesn’t register that it’s full as quickly."

Stay hydrated

Sometimes you confuse thirst for hunger, which can cause you to eat more food than you actually need. So it's important to stay hydrated and drink sips of water throughout the day. Water is also key to better digestion and a revved-up metabolism. You've probably heard the golden rule that you should drink eight glasses of water a day, but the amount of water each person should drink varies greatly. People who are very active, take certain medications, or have a viral illness need to drink more water. The best way to make sure you're properly hydrated is to drink water whenever you feel thirsty and to take sips of water before, during, and after a workout. (One of these bottles will keep your water cold for 24 hours!) You can also stay hydrated by eating more water-rich fruits and vegetables.

Team up with a workout buddy

Exercising with a friend helps you stay accountable and able to stick with your workout. Nobody wants to leave a pal stranded on a street corner at 6 a.m., but your workouts don’t always have to be done face-to-face. If you subscribe to a weight-loss app, join the community boards and challenges, where you can find people with similar goals and share your progress.

Lighten up your coffee order

A regular cup of coffee with a dash of milk and even a little sugar has hundreds of fewer kilojoules than the blended drinks, which are practically dessert in a cup. You can easily lighten up your coffee order without sacrificing taste by opting for low-fat milk or an unsweetened nut milk, adding just a touch of honey for sweetness, and a dash of cinnamon for flavour.

Get enough sleep

Make a point to go to bed earlier, and you’ll notice a difference in your energy levels and mood. Research shows that just a few nights of sleep deprivation can lead to almost immediate weight gain. That's because when you don't get enough sleep, you're not able to make healthier choices throughout the day. When you're tired, you tend to compensate with fatty and sugary foods. You also want to take a close look at your nighttime habits. Is dinner your biggest meal of the day? Are you having too many midnight snacks? These habits could be messing with your weight-loss efforts.

Use the stairs whenever possible

Have a choice between riding and climbing? Adding two to three minutes of stair climbing per day - covering about three to five floors - can burn enough kilojoules to eliminate weight gain of around a kilo. Walking up a flight of stairs can also help strengthen your glutes and quads, so there are some strength training benefits as well.

Use a fitness tracker

Today's fitness trackers allow you to take more control over your health by providing you with important data about your eating, sleep, and workout habits. Consider purchasing a fitness tracker to help you monitor not just how many steps you're taking each day, but how many kilojoules you're burning, how much sleep you're getting, what your resting heart rate is, and what your eating habits are like. It'll also help you stay on track with sticking to the goal of getting 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. (We like the Fitbit Charge 3)