These Small Habits Are Scientifically Proven to Help You Lose Weight

This is going to blow your mind, but the first tip has nothing to do with changing your diet or workouts. It's just about writing down what you eat. Seriously. And you know what? In clinical trials, it's been proven time and time again to work and even double your weight loss.

One study revealed that keeping a record of your food can cause a significant shift in your habits, contributing to major weight loss. Start by writing down everything you eat and drink (yes, coffee and water included!) and at what time. No judgment — just keeping a record.

Over time, you'll find that this mindful approach can change the way you eat and move without you even realising it.

Almost everyone could stand to drink a little more water. In fact, our brains often confuse thirst and hunger, meaning we end up reaching for chips or sugary fruit when we just need a cool glass of H2O. Crazy, right?

Drink one glass of water before every meal. You'll prevent dehydration and curb unnecessary overeating, which can help you maintain a healthy weight.

Mounting evidence suggests that intermittent fasting is an effective, powerful weight-loss tool, but you don't have to go to extremes to see results.

A 2015 study published in the journal Cell Metabolism noted that "participants were not overtly asked to change nutrition quality or quantity" — in other words, they ate what they usually would — but only to tighten the window of time in which they ate. When eating for 10 hours a day, as opposed to 15, participants lost weight and slept better.

Try only eating from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., or from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (You can still have coffee or water outside of those hours.) Doesn't seem so crazy, right? Avoid late-night snacking and the pounds will fall off.

Related:

5 Types of Intermittent Fasting (and the 1 a Dietitian Recommends)

POPSUGAR interviewed a woman named Brooke who lost more than 100 pounds simply by adopting good habits, rather than trying to break "bad" ones. One of her additions? A vegetable with every meal.

There isn't a dietitian on the planet who would tell you to avoid vegetables (unless you had an allergy, of course), so we feel confident this will work for you too. Add more greens and you'll have less room for the other stuff. Fresh produce is also packed with nutrients, and when you feel good, you'll have more energy to make the changes that help keep you trim.

Channel your newfound energy into the simplest weight-loss exercise ever: walking. Low-impact, stress-reducing walks perfectly complement the straightforward work you're putting into your diet. Celeb trainer and Fitbit ambassador Harley Pasternak encourages his clients to take 10,000 steps every day — a habit he says is even more essential than doing intense cardio.

Walk at any and every opportunity and you'll get leaner day by day.