How do you lose weight? Burn more calories than you take in, right? Sure, but there are other factors that also play into it—some of which may be preventing you from reaching all of your weight loss goals. These 5 things will help you achieve the best possible results and set yourself up for long-term success in meeting your weight loss goals!

1) Not Tracking What You Eat

It may seem difficult to burn fat without counting calories, but you don’t have to! Start by keeping a food journal for one week. Not only will it help you track what you eat, but it will also be a great way to think about your long-term goals for weight loss. Are there certain foods that tend to trigger unhealthy eating habits? Is there a particular time of day when you find yourself indulging too much? Once you start seeing patterns, try making slight tweaks like switching out whole milk with skim milk and replacing cookies with fruit. Although small changes won’t cause huge results right away, they can definitely add up over time—helping you shed pounds more easily and achieve your ideal physique!