7 Weight Loss Secrets No One But Nutritionists Know

With so many diet options to choose from, it can be hard to find a weight loss plan to suit you.

But today we asked nutritionists to share what they believe are the most critical secrets to really losing weight and keeping it off.

1. Don’t rely on tech trackers

Use your personal outcomes as the gold standard. If you aren’t losing weight, you aren’t in a calorie deficit, no matter what your tracker and apps say!

Putting your trust in these devices can cause you to gain, not lose weight, says Georgie Fear, RD, nutrition coach and author of Lean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss. While it seems like everyone’s sporting a flashy new wristband or app that tracks calories burned and calories consumed. “It’s crucial to bear in mind that these devices only give estimates,” she says. With so many diet options to choose from, it can be hard to find a weight loss plan to suit you

2. Beware what you’re drinking

Loading up your coffee with sugary syrups and nondairy creamers definitely won’t help you lose weight.

It is very clear that you should stop drinking fancy coffee drinks and soda because they are loaded with sugar and calories. Dulan says, that instead of that you should drink three 24-oz servings of ice cold water per day. That will help you burn an extra 100 calories, because the ice cold beverage prompts your body to expend energy maintaining a 98.6-degree temperature.

“Coffee’s caffeine ups your metabolism, so it can help you burn more calories” says Karen Ansel, MS, RDN, coauthor of The Calendar Diet. “It’s also been shown to improve endurance, so it may help you work out longer and harder.”

3. Don’t focus just on carbs

Cutting carbs can lead to weight loss, but only if it results in an overall calorie deficit

According to Fear – “If you cut out all carbs but add lots of oil and nuts in their place, you might not lose weight because you aren’t reducing overall calories. You can even gain weight, as I have seen many people do.” Instead of demonizing or glorifying one single nutrient, try to reduce the overall number of calories you take in.

4. Start eating foods you love less often

The practice of eating mini-meals all day long was once en vogue among nutrition pros, but newer research shows that strategy is pretty flawed. Instead, Fear suggests, eat just three or four times per day and make sure you’re actually filling yourself up. Eating fewer, more substantial meals helps you obsess about food less during the day.

5. Enjoy what you eat

 If you’re not taking the time to actually pay attention to what you eat, you’ll never lose weight

Mindlessly shoveling food down your gullet while you check e-mail or watch TV will likely cause you to overeat. Instead, give your food your full attention, says Mitzi Dulan, RD, nutritionist for the Kansas City Royals and author of The Pinterest Diet. Research shows that people who eat their food mindfully are 34% less likely to be obese than people who don’t. How can you become more mindful at mealtimes?

“Only eat at the kitchen table,” Dulan says. “This trick helps to avoid the unconscious eating that is often done on the couch, in bed, or at the office.” (Want to learn more about mindful eating? Enroll in our 21-day course that will teach you mindfulness skills and totally transform your relationship with food.)

6. Always travel with a snack

Many people are able to stick to their diets when they’re in their normal daily routine, but things fall apart when they travel for business, eat out with friends, or go on vacation

Ansel says that it’s like they’re always taking one step forward and then another step backward.” But when it comes to weight loss, consistency is key, so be prepared before you deviate from your daily routine.