Although there are no healthy tricks for drastic weight loss, there are several steps you can take to reduce your weight and increase your overall health. Below is some of the best weight-loss advice to date:

1. 30 minutes before each meal, drink a full 12 oz. glass of water. Studies have shown that this practice alone can increase weight loss by 44 percent over 3 months.
2. Eat a high-protein breakfast. Consider eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, hummus, peanut butter, or oats.
3. Eat slowly. Those who eat quickly gain more weight over time. Eating slowly increases hormones that reduce your weight and makes you feel fuller.
4. Eat more: avocado; salmon and tuna; whole eggs; broccoli/cauliflower/cabbage/brussels sprouts; full-fat yogurt; leafy greens like kale, spinach and collard greens; chicken breast and lean beef; nuts; whole grains; and fruit. These are considered some of the best foods to eat for weight loss.
5. Cut down your sugar and starch (carbohydrate) intake. Your body will start to burn off fat instead of carbs. In addition, you will reduce your water weight.
6. Your fat intake should come in the form of coconut oil, olive oil, butter, and avocado oil. Steer clear of canola, sunflower, corn, and peanut oil – all of which contain omega-6 fats.
7. Lift weights a few times per week. Weightlifting burns calories and keeps your metabolism from slowing down (a side-effect of weight-loss). You might even gain some muscle. Cardio workouts are also beneficial. If you are unable to lift weights, consider working out by walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming.
8. Steer clear of fruit juice, soda, and other sugary drinks – they are full of empty calories and they are all fattening.
9. Try to eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Stick to whole grain bread instead of white or wheat, for example. The more processed the food, the less healthy it is for your body. Another way to think about it is to eat foods in their untouched form – with no chemical additives – as they occur in nature.
10. Drink green tea. Although it contains a bit of caffeine, it is full of antioxidants that help burn fat.
11. Always keep healthy, easy-to-eat snacks around. Some great ideas are fruits, almonds, baby carrots, prepared hard-boiled eggs, and full-fat yogurt.
12. Get a good night’s sleep. This might not seem relevant, but it is as important as diet and exercise. Studies have shown that bad sleep habits result in an 89 percent increase in obesity risk for children, and a 55 percent increase in risk for adults.

Weight loss may seem like a slow and daunting process. But the more of these suggestions you incorporate into your daily life, the more quickly you will see real results.