Many of us set New Year’s resolutions revolving around improving our health. These could be trying eat healthier foods, exercise more, and/or lose weight. Even if you didn’t make a New Year’s resolution, I doubt you would be reading this blog if you weren’t interested in finding simple and inexpensive ways to be healthy. Today I would like to share four simple tips I have learned on my weight loss journey. I am continually reminding myself of them, as I renew my commitment to living a healthy life.

1) Water, Water, Water– Make sure to drink plenty of water. It helps you feel full as well as keeping your body flushed of toxins and functioning at optimum levels. Also, research has proven that mild dehydration can cause headaches and excess hunger. The specifics of how much each person should drink is debated . (See this article by the Mayo clinic for more information) Personally, I make it my goal to drink 64oz of water a day.

The key to drinking enough water is to always have it on or around you. I never leave home without my water bottle. Another important thing is to keep track of how much water you actually drink. Write down your daily goals and track them in your day planner. You will be surprised how this small change can make a large difference in helping you achieve your health goals.

2) Always ask yourself before snacking, “Am I really hungry?” I found that when I get the urge to snack, pausing to ask myself this question forces me to stop and think about why I am eating. Sometimes the answer is yes, I am actually hungry and need a healthy snack to even out my blood sugar and hold me over till the next meal. Other times, I find that I am eating because I am bored, stressed, sad, or angry. If hunger isn’t the problem, food isn’t the answer.

At a weight loss support group meeting, I was actually given a band-aid with small sticker attached that said “The answer isn’t in here.” I put this sticker on my snack drawer at work to continually remind myself to think about the reasons I was eating. I have posted a re-creation of that sticker here. These are easy to make with a printer and a band-aid. Having reminders like this on my fridge and cabinet help me to stay conscious of my motivations for snacking.

3) Put sleep on the schedule and stick to it by seeking accountability. The importance of getting a full night of sleep can not be overstated. Studies have proven that a lack of sleep can increase daytime hunger in addition to a myriad of other health problems. Tell a friend, spouse, or family member about your goals and ask them to check in on you once a week. As the saying goes, if you fail to plan you are planning to fail. Putting this important, but often left out, item on the schedule is vital to healthy living.

4) Start small– If you are struggling to find a way to sleep four hours a night and you never exercise, it isn’t smart to set goals of nine hours of sleep a night and an hour of exercise everyday. You are setting yourself up for failure. Set realistic small goals like going to bed at the same time five nights a week, and adding two 30 minute exercise sessions a week. Once you achieve the smaller goals you will begin to feel better, and that will give you the momentum to achieve larger goals. It has a snowball effect.

Another idea is to find simple ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. For example, do squats while you are waiting on the microwave, do side leg lifts while you are brushing your teeth, or take the stairs instead of the elevator. I know it sounds silly, but doing these small things will get you in a healthy mindset which will make you want to exercise more. Also, they do burn a few extra calories a day, and if weight loss is your goal, every little bit helps!