Everyday Tips to Lose Weight

Losing weight isn't an easy task -- often it's a long, hard battle. With today's on-the-go lifestyles and diets, it's sometimes difficult to find the time to take care of your body the way you need to. Eating healthier and getting to the gym more often should be the basis of any weight-loss regime -- no excuses. However, making just a few simple changes also makes a big difference when it comes to losing pounds.

Never Skip Breakfast

• A healthy breakfast wins half your battle.

  Even if you have pizza topped with chocolate cake for breakfast, eat something. You may think that by skipping a meal you're skipping the calories, but alas, it isn't so. Not eating breakfast slows your metabolism dramatically as your body tries to conserve energy for the day ahead. Skipping the first meal of the day is consistently linked to a higher risk of obesity, binge eating, compulsive snacking later in the day and higher-calorie food choices at lunch and dinner time.

Switch to Tea

• Tea, anyone?

  Drinking black, unsweetened coffee gets the nutritional thumbs up. Commercially sold coffees, however, are usually made entirely with milk, not water, and after adding the sugar, the hazelnut-vanilla flavoring and the whipped cream, your morning latte takes a big toll on your daily calorie count. Opt for tea instead. Drinking tea not only boosts your metabolism and gives you a hearty dose of antioxidants; green tea has also been linked to weight loss.

Action Pack Every Day

• Aim for 10,000 steps a day.

  Spending a large part of the day sitting down is common, but whether it's in the car, in the office or on the couch once you get home, this habit wreaks havoc on the human body. Sneaking a little more physical activity into your day burns extra calories and boosts your metabolism. If you're lucky enough to live close to your workplace, walk. If not, take the bus or the subway to burn calories: walking to the stop gets your heart going in the morning, as will staying standing once on board. When you're sitting at work, try doing leg lifts under your desk to keep your lower body active throughout the day. Always try to take the stairs when going up or down a few floors. Buy a pedometer: Seeing daily movement totals will motivate you to walk a little farther tomorrow.

Only Drink Water

• Cut out sugary drinks to lower your daily calorie count.

  According to the American Heart Association, sodas and sugar-packed juices are the top calorie contributor to Americans' diets. Cutting these drinks out is out completely is one of the most obvious weight loss options you have. Staying hydrated with lots of water keeps you healthier and more focused throughout the day and holds hunger pangs at bay, so drink up.

Be Prepared

• Your best snacking option

  Few people are going to run out of the office in search of carrot sticks at 3:30 in the afternoon when they crave sugar and notice that somebody has left a plate of brownies in the coffee room. Taking healthy snacks with you when you leave the house helps you curb cravings and keep your daily calorie count down. Try taking freezer bags filled with cut vegetables, raisins or nuts, and a few pieces of fruit to eat throughout the day. Being prepared also means being ready to combat cravings at home. Fill your fridge with healthy options, and you won't have to resist the temptation to have a double serving of ice cream for dessert.

Go to Bed

• Even grown-ups need early bed times.

  Getting your beauty sleep isn't just a recommendation when it comes to losing weight. Not getting enough sleep leads to changes in the hormones that control your appetite and your feeling of having eaten enough, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine. This explains why you feel ravenous after a late night and why you don't stop eating after one hamburger. Aim to get eight hours of deep sleep each night, and your body will thank you for it.