(Fort Washington, PA, Friday, December 21, 2018) – As you look ahead to a new year, what do your goals look like? Maybe you want more energy or perhaps you want to know how to lose weight and keep it off for good. Either way, a new year means a new you and a fresh start to become the best version of yourself.

It’s time to take a good look at some of the changes you can make to your everyday routine to get you out of a weight loss rut and into a successful year of healthy and happy living.

Here are 5 tips to guide you into a functional and positive routine that will get the scale moving and support your long-term health:

1. Skip the “diet” drinks – One recent review of research found that artificial sweeteners—the kind often used in diet drinks—may not be as beneficial for weight management as intended and that drinking them regularly may be linked to an increased body mass index. If you want something fizzy, opt for seltzer with lemon.
2. Start drinking more water – Mild dehydration is often masked as hunger—prompting you to grab a snack when all your body really needs is a glass of water.
3. Slow down and enjoy your meal – It takes 20 minutes for the “I’m full” signals from your stomach to reach your brain. When you inhale your food, it’s much easier to eat more than your body really needs.
4. Don’t trust yourself to eyeball portion sizes – The super-sized portions at restaurants have given us a skewed view of portion sizes.
5. Reduce your stress – Stress could halt weight loss for many different reasons—one of which is it causes your body to burn calories more slowly, which could lead to weight gain, according to a study. Plus, stress increases hormones that stimulate your appetite and the foods you’ll crave for comfort tend to be high in fat and sugar.

With these tips to jump start your fresh start for the new year, you’ll be on the road to a sustainable healthy lifestyle in no time that in return, will gift you with realistic weight loss achievement and more energy for your day-to-day life.