You’ve probably heard of the guy who quits drinking soda and loses 10 pounds in a matter of months. Although results for something so simple may seem too good to be true, small lifestyle changes can help weight loss.

When it comes to losing weight, your approach does not have to be excruciatingly painful to be effective. Let’s go back to the soda example: suppose you drink two sodas per day. Given that one soda contains about 240 calories, switching to water will save you 3,360 calories per week (or, okay, sparkling water). That means that simply giving up soda will cause you to lose nearly a pound or 3,500 calories.

Healthy Habits for Healthy Weight Loss

Even if you don’t drink soda, there are a plethora of simple, everyday habits you can implement to help you lose weight (or continue to maintain the weight you are). Andy Yurechko, R.D., M.S., of Georgia’s Augusta University Medical Center, believes that the most successful dieters avoid fads and instead focus on long-term sustainable practices. Here are the top five of them.

#1. Clear Goal

A clear goal is one that anyone on the planet can measure and comprehend. Write down your goal and keep it somewhere visible as a reminder when you’re about to give up. If you want to lose a specific amount of weight, weigh yourself before you begin. Then, daily, weigh yourself. Daily weigh-ins have been shown in studies to improve weight loss efforts. However, do not live and die by the number. Remember that a scale cannot distinguish between fat and lean body mass—but it can help keep things in check.

#2. Drinking More Water

First and foremost, everyone should drink plenty of water—your body requires it to function properly. And there’s a benefit of doing so for people who want to lose weight. Dr. Brenda Davy and her Virginia Tech University colleagues discovered that giving people 2 cups of water before each meal resulted in a greater fat loss after 12 weeks. The reason is simple: it fills you up so you eat less.

#3. Avoid Processed Carbs and Junk Food

They do nothing for you other than creating an environment conducive to fat gain, including belly fat. If you have trouble controlling certain treats, such as chips, cookies, or peanut butter, keep them out of your home or office cabinets. It’s not a matter of willpower; it’s a matter of being realistic. Instead, stock up on healthy snacks like jerky for your glove compartment or desk drawer so you’re always prepared.

#4. Focus on Fruits & Veggies

Fruits and vegetables are filling, high in fiber, and low in calories. If you’re having trouble incorporating more vegetables into your diet, start each meal with a salad. Salads add bulk to your diet, allowing you to eat fewer calories overall. Alternatively, try this hack to get a day’s worth of healthy greens in just 14 minutes. No need for a smoothie.

#5. Start Weightlifting

Make a workout plan that includes lifting weights. Increase your muscle mass; increase your calorie expenditure. Reduce the amount of time you rest between your training sets. This raises your heart rate, resulting in an increase in calories burned. Use these tips to lift heavy objects carefully.

Dumping any kind of liquid or solid cooking fat down your drain can cause much trouble for your personal plumbing and also neighborhood drainage system. All you need is an empty bottle of cheap vegetable oil to get out of all these hazards, starting from your kitchen.

The Oil Disposal Technique

There are different types of cheap and expensive cooking oils, which can be filtered, cleaned, and then saved for further use. But if you don’t get the time or will to do all that, just pour the excess oil into an empty container regularly, until it’s filled. Keep the bottle just under your sink beside the trash can. Take it out regularly to pour the cooked fat, once cooled to room temperature. You can pour the grease directly from the pan, or can use a cheap plastic funnel if don’t want to cry over messy spills. Once filled, just throw the bottle in the trash or take it to the oil recycling program of your locality. Oil disposal just gets this easy!

The Right Type of Container

It is rare for any household to be filled with extra disposable containers, like coffee tins or milk cartons. A previously used oil container comes in handy here. No need for any thoughtful choice, as any oil bottle will do, even the store-bought plastic ones with cheap vegetable oils work just fine.

The Benefit

A cheap vegetable oil carton is more durable than a milk carton. Also, it is sealable making it perfect to be reused, a number of times. And unlike a coffee tin, a plastic oil bottle does not need any cleaning before reusing. You are just going to pour new grease over old grease! An old plastic oil bottle under your kitchen sink will do the job. All your greasy, messy oil disposal problems will be solved.