Over the past few years, health news has been too much to digest. If you feel like you don’t know what to believe anymore, you’re not alone. The health industry is developing at a rapid pace and we try our best to sift through the latest science-backed wellness, nutrition and fitness advice, sharing exactly what you need to know and how it can make you become a healthier and happier being.

When it comes to implementing a foolproof method to losing weight, understand that there is no magic switch that will help you suddenly fall in love with kale smoothies and running.

Shedding pounds slowly is key to long-term weight loss

According to a recent research conducted by Drexel University, the key to successful weight loss is consistency. That’s right; it’s not following the latest and greatest fads, but just sticking to a plan.

The study involved 183 overweight or obese individuals from Pennsylvania whose progress was tracked over a period of 24 months. Participants were enrolled in a weight loss program that included calorie monitoring, self-monitoring, healthy meal replacements, regular physical activity and behavioral goals.

Participants checked their weights during weekly meetings and had a final weigh in at the end of the 2 year experiment. In addition, they were also asked to keep a tab on and report any food-related behaviors, such as emotional eating, cravings, binge eating and how confident they felt while adapting to their new diets.

Bigger weight loss isn’t always better.

At the end of the 2 year period, researchers found that participants who showed the most fluctuations in their weight during the first few weeks of the program exhibited the worst weight loss results at the end of the experiment. In other words, yo-yo dieting may work in the short-term, but chances are you’ll gain all that weight back following the end of the diet.

However, those who ate healthy, exercised consistently and showed steady weight loss were more successful in losing weight by the end of the weight loss program than others.

How to lose weight consistently

So do I cut carbs or cut fats for consistent weight loss? The answer is, it doesn’t matter. Choose a diet plan that you feel will work for you in the long-term and understand that with weight loss, slow and steady is the way to go. With that in mind, here are some of our best tried-and-tested secrets for consistent weight loss:

1. Meal planning

Meal planning is numero uno on our list for a reason. Having a meal plan gives your diet more structure so that you don’t go off track with it. If you’ve tried meal planning before and haven’t been able to sustain this habit, understand that it isn’t easy but choosing some smart ways of maintaining it is a surefire way of keeping pounds off for good. There’s an array of meal planning apps for you to choose from, with features such as saving grocery lists and planning your meals around them, in a convenient and affordable fashion.

2. Track your food

If you’re new to weight loss, we recommend keeping track of your daily calories, your sugar and fat intake, exercise and weight loss goals. Counting calories may sound tedious but keeping track in the beginning will help you understand portion control and rule out empty calorie foods (foods high in calories, low in nutrients) off your diet.

3. Make ahead meals

Preparing your foods and storing them in containers on a day you’re free makes it eating healthy throughout the week a breeze. Meals you can batch make include baked chicken with quinoa and veggies, chickpea salads, baked veggies, soups, healthy condiments made with yogurt and so on.

4. Have an exercise schedule that works for you

If you prefer morning workouts, make sure you exercise during the daytime. If you don’t exercise during your preferred time, chances are it won’t happen. Therefore, whether it’s before work, after work, or at home, having a fixed time slot for exercise will ensure you don’t miss a workout.

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