Do some bad habits keep you fat? Fix them now, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goal weight and keeping it off for life.

Here are sensible, real ways to lose weight and keep it off by breaking these 10 bad habits:

1. Skipping meals

Skipping meals only sets you up for massive food cravings and overeating later on. The biggest mistake of obese people? It’s skipping breakfast. You should start the day with a healthy breakfast to ‘wake up’ your metabolism, fuel both your brain and muscles, and help you face the challenges of the day with energy and a clear mind. Even if you don’t think you’re very hungry, make it a habit to eat a small, balanced breakfast if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

What to eat for breakfast? How about oatmeal with berries or plain yogurt and an apple or whole wheat toast or whole wheat bagel topped with pecan butter? All of these are nutritious, quick to prepare, easy on the go, and great for a healthy meal or snack.

2. Not tracking what you’re eating

It’s so easy to pack on calories and gain weight if you hardly notice what’s going on in your mouth! Counter this by keeping a food journal. Write down what you ate, when, how much, and how you felt at the time. Review to learn your eating patterns and it will be easy for you to spot bad habits like skipping meals or overeating.

3. Ignore the scales

Don’t have a good set of bathroom scales? They are widely available and cheap at big box stores. Use them to weigh yourself at least a couple of times a week to track your progress. Once you’ve achieved your ideal weight loss, if you gain even a few pounds or kilograms, you can immediately adjust your calorie intake and shed them.

4. Forgetting to exercise

We’re all too busy, too caught up in life’s responsibilities, or too lazy to exercise, but it’s essential for health and maintaining a healthy weight. Promise yourself that nothing will come between you and getting at least half an hour of pushing physical activity every day and in three months (with proper nutrition) you could lose 10 percent of your current weight and be well on your way to, or have reached, your goal weight.

5. Not getting enough rest

Did you know that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight or obese? It’s true. You need about 8 hours of sleep each night, unless you are pregnant, sick, or a child or teenager, when 9 hours each night is best. Too much rest (including time on the couch) is also a bad habit if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

6. Eating too many packaged foods

Fast food isn’t the only high-salt, high-trans-fat, and high-sugar food that packs on the pounds. Many canned and packaged foods are also high in fat, as are almost all convenience foods and most restaurant meals. To lose weight, prepare most of your meals at home, using fresh ingredients—especially vegetables, fruits, lean meats, poultry, fish, and limiting dairy, grains (choose whole grains), and nuts—and you’ll feel better, live longer, and have an easier time managing your weight.

7. Snack all day

When you’re tired, bored, stressed, or unhappy, you’re especially prone to mindlessly snacking. To help break this bad habit, eat 5 or 6 smaller meals spaced out throughout the day, stop eating 3 hours before bed, and get rid of all crackers, chips, pretzels, toasted nuts, ice cream, cakes, cookies, pastries, and other snacks in your refrigerator or on your food shelves.

8. Relying on ‘willpower’

Willpower is a very good trait to have, but not getting in the way of temptation is smarter. Lose weight and keep it off by simply not buying those ‘bad for you’ treats, because if they’re in your house, there will come a time when they call your name and you won’t be able to resist.

9. Eating in front of the TV

Or while you’re talking on the phone is a bad idea because it’s so easy to overeat when you’re focused on something else. Turn off the TV, sit down at the table, and enjoy a proper meal that helps your brain get the message that you’ve been well fed.

10. Gobble up your food

Stress, short lunch breaks, lack of time for dinner – all these make us gulp and rush, which can not only cause health problems like chronic heartburn, but actually eat much more than we need. To lose weight, slow down! Chew your food. Put your fork or spoon between the cocks. Allow yourself to taste and enjoy every bite!