Eat Your Carbs at Night

Want to be a size smaller by this time next month? Try eating the bulk of your carbs in the evening instead of the A.M. While many people assume that having carbs at night will lead to weight gain, research published in Obesity reveals that, among a group of 78 Israeli police officers, those who snacked on their carbs at night lost more weight and more body fat than those whose carbs were spread throughout the day.

Pump Up the Protein

If you’re not ready to jump on the nighttime carb bandwagon, don’t fear — filling up on a protein-packed snack before bed can help you lose weight, too. Researchers at Florida State University found that a filling, protein-rich evening snack led to an increased metabolic rate that extended well into the next morning, meaning you can enjoy more effortless weight loss, even while you’re sleeping.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

CDC research suggests that adults are getting less sleep than ever, and our waistlines are paying the price. If you’re truly committed to shedding those unwanted pounds, it’s time to get serious about your sleep. Researchers at the University of Colorado found that when participants were trying to make up for lost sleep the night before, they burned an average of 228 calories less than those who were well-rested, while a study conducted at the University of Chicago found that people who snoozed for just 5 and a half hours were more likely to give into their snack cravings. Fortunately, after a few nights of adequate rest, you can get yourself back on track and in the fat-burning zone.

Eat a Banana

Bananas are packed with potassium, a nutrient that helps regulate fluid balance to flatten belly bloat.

Eat Several Teeny-Tiny Meals

To keep your metabolism revving throughout the day, focus on small, protein- and fiber-packed snacks or small meals every 3 to 4 hours. You will not only burn more calories eating a series of smaller meals, but also avoid the afternoon crash and end of the workday slump.

Add Bacteria to Your Belly

Studies show that overweight people have a higher percentage of “bad” bacteria in their bellies. To keep the fat-causing bugs at bay, you need to eat a variety of foods that support the healthy bacteria—the kind found in the bellies of slim people. Kefir, kombucha and bone broth are examples of probiotic-rich foods that help you lose weight by aiding digestion. Add 2-3 servings of these probiotic-heavy foods to your weekly food plan.

Exercise Before Breakfast

Start your morning off right by getting in a workout — it could help you lose that extra weight in a hurry. Research conducted at the University of Tsukuba reveals that people who exercised before breakfast burned 240 calories more and increased their fat-burning potential over a 24-hour period when compared to those who worked out later in the day. Add in the actual calories you’ll burn from your workout and you’ll be on track for some serious weight loss

Build Some Muscle

Want to build a healthier, leaner body? Start by building some muscle. Research suggests that muscle at rest burns more than twice as many calories than fat, meaning it’s easier to shave off that extra weight while going about your daily life. For an easy intro to building muscle, try lifting dumbbells while you watch TV, do some squats or calf raises while brushing your teeth, or tack on a weight circuit at the end of your cardio session at the gym.

Sniff Some Mint

What you’re snacking on could be as important as what you’re smelling when you’re in the market for some weight loss. Research published in the Journal of Neurological and Orthopaedic Medicine and Surgery reveals that study subjects who took a whiff of peppermint every two hours shed a whopping five pounds in just a month’s time. Even if mint perfume doesn’t sound like a winning idea, smelling a cup of mint tea or using some mint oil in an essential oil diffuser at could help you ditch those extra pounds in a hurry.

Spice Up Your Snacks

You can shed five pounds by next month by adding something to your diet, and no, it’s not a diet pill. Keeping some hot sauce handy can make a major difference in how much you eat, and, more importantly, how much you lose. Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition reveals that Japanese women given red pepper along with their meals experienced significantly less hunger than those who ate less spicy food, and the results of a Dutch study reveal that adding capsaicin — the compound that makes spicy food hot — to meals increased subjects’ energy expenditure. Combine less hunger and more fat-burning potential and there’s definitely some significant weight loss in the cards.

Box Your Meal Before it Arrives

Before you sit down to a meal, take half of it to go. One study reveals that people who had half of their order boxed up before it was set down in front of them shaved a whopping 750 calories off their meals, on average. If you’re eating out a few times a week, this can lead to a five-pound loss before you know it.

Set the Thermostat Lower

Fire up your metabolism by keeping your house cold — it could help you shave off the extra weight more easily. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that snoozing in a 66-degree room helped study participants burn more calories by increasing the amount of brown, calorie-burning fat in their bodies, making it easier to ditch five pounds in a flash.

Don’t Act Your Age; The first step to staying forever young is thinking young. Research published in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals that people who felt three or more years younger than their actual age reduced their risk of mortality when compared to those who felt older than their biological age.

Strengthen Your Legs; Trying to turn back the clock? Start with some squats. Research suggests that having stronger lower-body muscles can significantly decrease your risk of falling. This significantly reduces your risk of hip fractures, which are associated with a nearly 20 percent increase in mortality at the 1-year mark.

Find Your Purpose; Whether you’re passionate about teaching, love to cook, or just want to spend your days making Miley Cyrus fan art, having a purpose in life is a powerful weapon against aging. Research published in Psychological Science reveals that those who felt a sense of purpose in life lived significantly longer than their aimless counterparts.