I'm Down 35 Pounds in 9 Months — These Are the Simple Diet Changes That Actually Worked

A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine highlighted the health benefits of intermittent fasting, in which you simply reduce the window of time during which you eat during the day. While you can adjust the eating and fasting windows to whatever works best for you, consistency is key. Keeping my meals to the hours of noon to 8 p.m. has made me more mindful of what I'm putting in my body, and it keeps me from excessively snacking throughout the day. Be forewarned: crankiness is common while the body adjusts to this new schedule, but it gets easier!

Obsessing over macros (carbs, protein, and fat) isn't for me, but I do pay attention to one row on nutrition labels: added sugars. The American Heart Association recommends keeping added sugars to no more than 25 grams per day for women and 36 grams per day for men. I was shocked to see how many "healthy" foods like granola bars and yoghurt contained a ton of added sugar. Keep an eye on those labels, and you'll be one step closer to your goals.

How many calories are you adding to your meals with fatty, sugary sauces and dressings? For me, the answer was a lot. My pantry is now stocked with zero-calorie options like yellow mustard and hot sauce, which allow me to feed my condiment addiction without sabotageing my weight-loss efforts. Full disclosure: When it comes to salad, I can't completely rid myself of my precious ranch. However, I use about half the amount I used to and mix in some buffalo sauce for a little extra zing.

I come from a family where food is love, and I spent decades rewarding and comforting myself with tasty treats. The single best thing I've done for myself is to question that voice in my head that tells me I deserve [insert fried food here] because I've been so good or my day was a nightmare.

Instead of giving into those temptations, I try to redirect my focus: I'm so proud of what I've accomplished, and I'm not willing to derail that progress. This is not to say that I never indulge. (Nothing good can come from cutting yourself off entirely!) I've just made a real effort to invest in myself by weighing short-term gratification against long-term happiness.