Cutting back on calories is the cornerstone of any successful weight-loss plan, but as dieters can attest, that’s easier said than done.
So it’s encouraging to learn that three simple strategies can provide a boost: Eat regular meals, write down everything you eat, and avoid restaurants and takeout at lunchtime.
These three habits were each linked to greater weight loss in a new study of 123 overweight and obese middle-aged women, all of whom managed to shed at least a few pounds over a one-year period.
Women who reliably ate breakfast, lunch and dinner lost an average of 11% of their body weight, compared to just 7% among women who skipped meals. (That’s equivalent to a 5-foot, 6-inch woman who weighs 180 pounds losing 20 pounds instead of 13.)