Every time you peruse the internet you are likely to be bombarded by articles claiming to have the secret to weight loss. Talked of much like the fountain of youth, these weight loss tricks and secrets are often obscure, reliant on highly specific circumstances, and are typically in the long-run not actually helpful for the vast majority of people. Just about every celebrity out there will try to sell you on a diet plan, an exercise program, or a weight loss medication that they swear is why they have the body they have, but unless these programs are vetted by a medical weight loss doctor, they probably aren’t real solutions.

At the end of the day, the strategies that work best are the strategies that are repeated over and over again by those who know what is what. For support with your weight loss progress, check in with your medical weight loss doctor to see what will be most beneficial for you. Weight loss programs are most successful when they are highly personalized, meaning what works for you is probably not what will work for other people.

So what really does work to help with weight loss? Here are 10 proven facts about losing weight:

1. Drinking water helps you lose weight, especially when you drink before a meal. This helps to reduce your appetite.
2. Cutting down on carbs and eating protein based meals—especially for breakfast—is very helpful in controlling your diet.
3. Coffee is great, but not if you are loading it with high-fat dairy and sugar.
4. Green tea is even better, but if you don’t like green tea, then make sure you are drinking water. The key is to stick to these zero-calorie beverages.
5. Juices and sodas should be avoided at absolutely all costs. They serve no functional role in a healthy diet.
6. When possible, going longer lengths between meals will help you to cut down on calorie intake. If you need a snack, make a healthy one, but if you can go without, don’t feel like you have to eat a snack.
7. Managing portions or counting calories is necessary for controlling a healthy diet. While you can choose which works best for you, practicing some level of caloric moderation is important.
8. Aerobic exercise is the best for burning calories. Running, swimming, biking or even walking is what will really help you burn off that fat.
9. If you can, lift weights. Building muscle makes it easier to burn calories all day long.
10. Focus on filling your diet with as many whole foods as possible. This includes fruits and vegetables, whole protein sources like grilled meats, and low-fat dairy.

These 10 facts about weight loss often make up the base of just about any healthy medical weight loss program, but before you make any adjustments to what you are doing to lose weight, consulting with your weight loss doctor is recommended.