It’s important to be aware of what you are eating and how much. Eating meals to be the point of feeling full prevents you from overeating. Small, healthy snacks throughout the day help your metabolism stay active. These tips will help keep you on track to meet your weight loss goal.

1 Never Skip Breakfast. Your body needs to refuel in the morning to start your day off right. When you try to skip meals in order to limit calories, your metabolism slows down – making it harder to lose weight. Eating a nutritious breakfast will give you energy and satisfy your stomach, making you less likely to snack on unhealthy calories before lunch. Top a small bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit, or make yourself a quick scrambled egg and salsa breakfast burrito with a whole wheat tortilla.

2 Drink Plenty of Water. Staying well hydrated is a necessity. It’s also a great way to lose weight without any effort. Drinking a glass or two of water before each meal will leave you feeling fuller and less likely to overindulge. There are hundreds of calories in fruit juices, sodas, and coffee drinks that can add up quickly. Water is always the best option.

3 Control Portion Size. Pay attention to plate size. Especially when dining out, choose meals that are not too large. If there are options for an 8 oz steak or a 12 oz steak, you clearly want to pick the smaller one. Just because you are dieting, does not mean that you can’t enjoy a variety of food and even treat yourself from time to time. You just want to be aware of how much food you are eating. If you start to feel full – at home or out - save the rest of the meal for leftovers.

4 Eat Your Vegetables. Fill up on veggies at every meal, and keep them handy for snacking throughout the day. Vegetables are packed with nutrients and will quickly fill you up without many calories. Choose veggies that you like – carrots, celery, tomatoes, broccoli, peas – and eat at least 4 cups a day.

5 Add Protein to Every Meal. You can eat eggs for breakfast, add salmon or chicken breast to salads, and choose a small portion of lean meat for dinner with large sides of vegetables. Tofu and tempeh are good vegetarian protein substitutes. Quinoa is a protein-packed grain that can be served as a main dish, sides, or added to salads.

6 Choose Healthy Snacks. Eating smaller meals may leave you craving a snack once or twice a day. Snacking a bit is fine, it will actually keep your metabolism working well – as long as you choose healthy, low calorie snacks. Low-fat yoghurt or a piece of fruit will keep you on track.

7 Get Moving. Regular exercise combined with these healthy dieting tips is the best way to burn calories. You don’t have to go for a daily run, but walking for 30 minutes a day will help you lose weight. Find an exercise that you enjoy and make it a part of your daily routine – walking, jogging, swimming, or dancing to your favourite music. Take the stairs instead of the lift. You can even purchase a pedometer that keeps track of the number of steps you’ve taken through the day. Once you get in the mindset of wanting to burn calories every day, it will become routine.