You need permanent solutions for weight loss, not temporary diets that will help you lose a few pounds that you’ll put back on after the diet is over as you slip back into your old habits.

Have you tried to slowly work in some new daily habits? Not an overnight crash course in lifestyle change, but manageable small changes that will really add up over the long haul. Lifestyle changes that will steadily help you uncover the healthy you that is hiding just below the surface.

Here are 5 lifestyle changes that you can incorporate, one at a time, without having to go on a so called “diet”.

Eat Your Calories! Don’t Drink Them

The majority of us are getting too many of our calories through soft drinks and juices. One of the first things you should do is drop the soft drink habit.

If you’ve got an addiction to soda, especially caffeinated ones, I know this is going to be hard. But you can do it! I know you can because so many people have done this before you.

Don’t start out with a self defeating attitude. Don’t tell yourself, “I can’t do this!”

Eat A Well Rounded Breakfast

Eat a breakfast that includes complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fats every morning. The first few days this might be a struggle because you don’t feel hungry. By the third or fourth day you’ll start to wake up with an appetite and you’ll start to look forward to having breakfast.

Put The Kitchen On Lock Down After Dessert

That’s right, after dessert and not dinner. I don’t want you to have to go through life without having a small dessert after dinner. What would be the point of living?

But after that dessert is over, don’t head back into the kitchen for snacks. Do whatever it takes to resist those cravings. Have a cup of tea or a glass of ice water, brush your teeth or just go to bed.

Portion Control (Stop Eating Before You Get Full)

If you’re anything like me you’ve grown accustomed to heaping massive portions on your plate. I wouldn’t ask you to try eating a steak the size of a deck of cards but I think that practicing a little moderation is easily attainable.

Give yourself a fair helping of food that you know will satisfy you and then stop eating. Don’t keep eating until you’re stuffed. It’s just not necessary and it’s not healthy either.

I don’t want you to starve yourself with tiny portions either. That’s no healthier than over eating. If you’re starving yourself the odds that you’ll have a massive binge are just going to skyrocket.

Shut Off The TV And Take A Walk

You don’t have to go outside and walk for hours. Just shut off the television for about a half hour a night and go for a walk. Who knows, before you know it you might get the urge to job a little or walk a little farther?

Any time of day is great for a walk. If you’ve got an hour lunch break you can easily fit in lunch and a walk. I’m sure you can find time in your busy day for just a little bit of exercise by eliminating at least one low value task.

This guest post was written by Lucas Jenkins. Lucas regularly writes articles like this one about finding the best gas furnaces for his home improvement website, affordablehomeremodeling ideas.com