But if you’re ready to make real changes to your lifestyle for reduslim foro a better body, consider these five expert-backed, research-backed tips:

To lose weight, avoid snacks between meals. "In general, people who do lose weight manage to get in better shape by doing things like eating fewer snacks in the middle of the day and sticking to healthier options such as fruit, veggies or lean protein."

— Dana Small, RDN, a sports dietitian

Find your motivation. "When people want to lose weight, or keep it off, they really want to have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Some people look at a walk on the beach, others a new pair of running shoes, and some feel there’s really no point to their accomplishment — they don’t care whether they’ve lost weight or not. For those individuals, the motivation is taken away by ‘you can’t please everyone,’ or ‘I can’t enjoy my life if I have to run around all the time.’ "

— Kimberly Snyder, M.S.Ed., a psychologist specializing in weight loss and wellness at the Cleveland Clinic

Think about the long run. "It takes about three months on average for people to start feeling their results. This is why it is important to weigh yourself regularly, use an online calculator or download a health tracking app, and most importantly, do not skip a weigh in. Everyone should have a ‘before’ and ‘after’ weight in their minds."

— Amanda Carlson, RD, a sports dietitian at the U.S. Olympic Committee

Stop obsessing. "Our craving or compulsion to fixate on something drives us to make choices that are not in our best interests. I have observed people who are focused on weight loss will obsessively count calories, measure the fat content of everything they eat or count the calories in their food after they have eaten it. As a result, they make choices that are not in their best interests. By doing that they send the message to their brain that they have not satisfied their desire to eat, and so they continue to overeat or binge eat."

— Patricia Andrade, a counselor

Keep an eye out for common pitfalls. "Use your common sense! Make sure that you read the labels on everything you eat and