A serving size of rolled oats is usually half a cup (it's one-third for sprouted rolled oats), so grab a measuring cup when you're prepping your jar the night before, instead of eyeballing the amount. Choose unsweetened milk to lower the calories and sugar, and sweeten your oats naturally with fresh or frozen fruit instead of brown sugar or maple syrup to save on calories and to add fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants.
You can also add exciting flavour to your oats by mixing in things like vanilla or almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, fruit-only jam, or dried fruit. Or instead of using plain milk, mix your oats with a green smoothie instead. And if you want extra fibre and to lower the calorie density of your jar, add in shredded carrot, courgette, or riced cauliflower.
Being prepared with your healthy breakfast can help prevent you from reaching for higher-calorie options (hello scone sitting on the counter at the coffee shop), so make this quick breakfast even faster by prepping a week's worth at one time. Here are some recipes:
To recap, overnight oats can absolutely help you lose weight. Just be mindful of your portion size, sweeten yours naturally with fruit, and measure out high-calorie toppings like nuts, seeds, granola, and dried fruit.