Coffee is loaded with antioxidants and other beneficial compounds.

Coffee drinking may support weight loss by increasing energy levels and the amount of calories you burn (24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).

Caffeinated coffee may boost your metabolism by 3–11% and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by a whopping 23–50% (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

Furthermore, black coffee is very weight loss friendly, since it can make you feel full but contains almost no calories.

8. Supplement with glucomannan

Glucomannan is one of several weight loss pills that has been proven to work. This water-soluble, natural dietary fiber comes from the roots of the konjac plant, also known as the elephant yam.

Glucomannan is low in calories, takes up space in the stomach, and delays stomach emptying. It also reduces the absorption of protein and fat, and feeds the beneficial gut bacteria (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source).

Its exceptional ability to absorb water is believed to be what makes it so effective for weight loss. One capsule is able to turn an entire glass of water into gel.

9. Limit liquid calories

Liquid calories come from beverages like sugary soft drinks, fruit juices, chocolate milk, and energy drinks.

These drinks can have a negative impact on your health in several ways, including an increased risk of obesity. One study showed a drastic 60% increase in the risk of obesity among children for each daily serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage (33Trusted Source).

It’s also important to note that your brain does not register liquid calories the same way it does solid calories, so you end up adding these calories on top of everything else that you eat (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).

10. Limit your intake of refined carbs

Refined carbs are carbs that have had most of their beneficial nutrients and fiber removed.

The refining process leaves nothing but easily digested carbs, which can increase the risk of overeating and disease (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source).

The main dietary sources of refined carbs are white flour, white bread, white rice, sodas, pastries, snacks, sweets, pasta, breakfast cereals, and added sugar.

11. Fast intermittently

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating.

There are a few different ways to do intermittent fasting, including the 5:2 diet, the 16:8 method, and the eat-stop-eat method.

Generally, these methods make you eat fewer calories overall, without having to consciously restrict calories during the eating periods. This should lead to weight loss, as well as numerous other health benefits (38Trusted Source).

12. Drink (unsweetened) green tea

Green tea is a natural beverage that’s loaded with antioxidants. Drinking green tea is linked with many benefits, such as increased fat burning and weight loss (39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source).

Green tea may increase energy expenditure by 4% and increase selective fat burning by up to 17%, especially harmful belly fat (41Trusted Source, 42Trusted Source, 43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source).

Matcha tea is a variety of powdered green tea that may have even more powerful health benefits than regular green tea.

13. Eat more fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are extremely nutritious, weight-loss-friendly foods.

In addition to being high in water, nutrients, and fiber, they usually have very low energy density. This makes it possible to eat large servings without consuming excess calories.

Numerous studies have shown that people who eat more fruits and vegetables tend to weigh less (45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source).

14. Count calories once in a while

Being aware of what you’re eating is very helpful when trying to lose weight.

There are several effective ways to do this, including counting calories, keeping a food diary, or taking pictures of what you eat (47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source, 49).

Using an app or another electronic tool may be even more beneficial than writing in a food diary (50Trusted Source, 51Trusted Source).

15. Use smaller plates

Some studies have shown that using smaller plates helps you eat less, because it changes how you see portion sizes (52Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source).

People seem to fill their plates the same, regardless of plate size, so they end up putting more food on larger plates than smaller ones (54Trusted Source).

Using smaller plates reduces how much food you eat, while giving you the perception of having eaten more (55Trusted Source).

16. Try a low-carb diet

Many studies have shown that low-carb diets are effective for weight loss.

Limiting carbs and eating more fat and protein reduces your appetite and helps you eat fewer calories (56Trusted Source).

This can result in weight loss that is up to 3 times greater than that from a standard low-fat diet (57Trusted Source, 58Trusted Source).

A low-carb diet can also improve many risk factors for disease.

17. Eat more slowly

If you eat too fast, you may eat more calories than your body needs before your body even realizes that you’re full (59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source).

Fast eaters are much more likely to develop obesity, compared to those who eat more slowly (61Trusted Source).

Chewing more slowly may help you eat fewer calories and increase the production of hormones that are linked to weight loss (62Trusted Source, 63Trusted Source).

18. Add eggs to your diet

Eggs are the ultimate weight loss food. They’re low in calories, high in protein, and loaded with all sorts of nutrients.

High-protein foods have been shown to reduce appetite and increase fullness, compared to foods that contain less protein (64Trusted Source, 65, 66Trusted Source, 67Trusted Source).

Furthermore, eating eggs for breakfast may cause up to 65% greater weight loss over 8 weeks, compared to eating bagels for breakfast. It may also help you eat fewer calories throughout the rest of the day (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 67Trusted Source).

19. Spice up your meals

Chili peppers and jalapeños contain a compound called capsaicin, which may boost metabolism and increase the burning of fat (68Trusted Source, 69Trusted Source, 70Trusted Source, 71Trusted Source).

Capsaicin may also reduce appetite and calorie intake (68Trusted Source, 72Trusted Source).

20. Take probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria that have health benefits when eaten. They can improve digestive health and heart health, and may even help with with weight loss (73Trusted Source, 74Trusted Source).

Studies have shown that people who are overweight and people who have obesity tend to have different gut bacteria than average-weight people, which may influence weight (75Trusted Source, 76Trusted Source, 77Trusted Source).

Probiotics may help regulate the healthy gut bacteria. They may also block the absorption of dietary fat, while reducing appetite and inflammation (78Trusted Source, 79Trusted Source, 80).

Of all the probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus gasseri shows the most promising effects on weight loss (81Trusted Source, 82Trusted Source, 83Trusted Source).

21. Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is incredibly important for weight loss, as well as to prevent future weight gain.

Studies have shown that sleep-deprived people are up to 55% more likely to develop obesity, compared to those who get enough sleep. This number is even higher for children (84Trusted Source).

This is partly because sleep deprivation disrupts the daily fluctuations in appetite hormones, leading to poor appetite regulation (85Trusted Source, 86Trusted Source).

22. Eat more fiber

Fiber-rich foods may help with weight loss. Foods that contain water-soluble fiber may be especially helpful, since this type of fiber can help increase the feeling of fullness.

Fiber may delay stomach emptying, make the stomach expand and promote the release of satiety hormones (87Trusted Source, 88Trusted Source, 89Trusted Source). This can help you eat less without having to think about it.

Many types of fiber can feed the friendly gut bacteria. Healthy gut bacteria have been linked with a reduced risk of obesity (90Trusted Source, 91Trusted Source, 92Trusted Source).

Just make sure to increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid abdominal discomfort, such as bloating, cramps, and diarrhea.

23. Brush your teeth after meals

Many people brush or floss their teeth or use mouthwash after eating.

Dental hygiene products can temporarily affect the taste of food and beverages, which may help limit the desire to snack or eat between meals (93Trusted Source).

24. Work to overcome food addiction

Food addiction involves overpowering cravings and changes in your brain chemistry that make it harder to resist eating certain foods.

This is a major cause of overeating for many people, and affects a significant percentage of the population. In fact, a recent 2014 study found that almost 20% of people fulfilled the criteria for food addiction (94Trusted Source).

Some foods are much more likely to cause symptoms of addiction than others. This includes highly processed junk foods that are high in sugar, fat, or both.

Consulting with a healthcare professional can help.

25. Do some sort of cardio

Doing cardio — whether it’s jogging, running, cycling, power walking, or hiking — is a great way to burn calories and improve both mental and physical health.

Cardio has been shown to improve many risk factors for heart disease. It can also help reduce body weight (95Trusted Source, 96Trusted Source).

Cardio seems to be particularly effective at reducing the fat that builds up around your organs and causes metabolic disease (97Trusted Source, 98Trusted Source).

26. Add resistance exercises

Loss of muscle mass is a common side effect of dieting. If you lose a lot of muscle, your body will start burning fewer calories than before (99Trusted Source, 100Trusted Source).

Resistance exercises, like lifting weights, can help prevent this loss in muscle mass (101Trusted Source, 102Trusted Source).

27. Use whey protein

Most people get enough protein from diet alone. However, for those who don’t, taking a whey protein supplement is an effective way to boost protein intake.

One study shows that replacing part of your calories with whey protein can cause significant weight loss, while also increasing lean muscle mass (103Trusted Source, 104Trusted Source).

Just make sure to read the ingredients list, because some varieties are loaded with sugar and other additives.

28. Practice mindful eating

Mindful eating is a method used to increase awareness while eating.

It helps you make conscious food choices and develop awareness of your hunger and satiety cues. It then helps you eat well in response to those cues (105Trusted Source).

Mindful eating has been shown to have significant effects on weight, eating behavior, and stress in individuals who have obesity. It’s especially helpful against binge eating and emotional eating (106Trusted Source, 107Trusted Source, 108Trusted Source).

By making conscious food choices, increasing your awareness, and listening to your body, weight loss should follow.

29. Focus on changing your lifestyle

Dieting is one of those things that almost always fails in the long term. In fact, people who “diet” tend to gain more weight over time (109Trusted Source).

Instead of focusing only on losing weight, make it a primary goal to nourish your body with nutritious food and daily movement.