For many, the most difficult part about losing weight isn’t sticking to an exercise regimen– it’s resisting the temptation to eat their favorite high calorie snack or dessert. It’s all too easy to fall back into old habits without a constant reminder to stick to your diet. This page serves as an ever present reminder of what to do to keep your diet healthy.

Eat fruits and vegetables

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Eating fruits and vegetables has continued to be a consistent link to weight loss success across publications for years. Fruits and vegetables contain the high amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water our bodies need to keep healthy. These snacks fill us without the added calories a bag of chips has.

Drink water

Credit: Safe Drinking Water Foundation

Increasing the amount of water one drinks within a day has been proven to increase the amount of calories burned at rest. Drinking water before a meal helps fill us, so we eat smaller portions. Replacing sugary drinks like juice eliminates those unnecessary calories.

Limit your sugar intake

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Though we may not be aware of it, sugar contains massive amounts of calories. Our bodies need some sugar to process energy, but that amount is small and can easily be attained with a few pieces of fruit. Even if you eat well in every other way, added sugars and artificial sweeteners can really stunt your weight loss journey.

Limit your salt intake

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Salt is another mineral that our body needs, but not in the quantities many of us consume it. 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of sodium is the suggested amount, yet, on average, Americans consume 3,400 milligrams daily. This can not only lead to weight gain and retention, but horrible diseases such as hypertension.

Read your food’s labels

The best way to be mindful of what you’re putting in your body is to read the labels of the food you purchase. Raisin Bran acts as though it is a heart-healthy cereal, but it contains over 25 grams of sugar. One saltine cracker contains 105 milligrams of salt. Before buying something, consider the amount of bad in relation to the amount of good.