Losing weight means your body must be in a calorie deficit. Here are eight ways to achieve this without counting calories or going to extremes:

1. Build Your Meals Around Protein & Veggies- Protein keeps you full for longer, and the fiber and water content from veggies fill your stomach and keep you satisfied!

2. Ditch the Empty Calories- Empty calories can come from processed foods, sugary drinks, or anything that doesn't provide nutrition, while filling your body with calories.Bottom line- EAT REAL FOOD!

3. Enjoy Your Same Meals- Just Smaller Portions- When it comes to losing weight, truly nothing is off limits when portions are smaller! You can enjoy everything you love in smaller portions!

4. Drink More Water- Often times we have a hard time distinguishing if we are hungry or thirsty, because of the fact that the signals that tell us we are hungry and/or thirsty come from the same location in our brain. Therefore, keeping our body hydrated can help us distinguish if we are truly hungry or not!

5. Watch the Bites, Licks, and Tastes- When we eat mindlessly it almost always leaves us unsatisfied, both mentally and physically. Taking the time to sit down and enjoy a meal provides nourishment that sticks with you!

6. Choose Low Glycemic Carb Sources- A low-glycemic index (low-GI) diet is an eating plan based on how foods affect blood sugar level, also called blood glucose level, which affects insulin. Insulin is a key hormone involved in regulating blood sugar, fat storage, and weight management. Balance carbs with fat/protein.

7. Aim for a Slight Calorie Deficit- Cutting calories drastically will affect your metabolism and hormones in a negative way. If you want to lose weight, cutting just a few hundred calories a day is best to maintain homeostasis for your body.

8. Eat What You Enjoy- Feeling restricted and deprived never served anyone when it comes to long term weight loss. The best thing you can do is find foods and recipes that allow you to eat what you enjoy in healthier ways!