How to develop healthy habits for losing weight and keeping it off!

Kiran Campbell, RDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Is it time to troubleshoot your lifestyle habits for losing weight? Discover the best habits for losing weight and sustaining them long-term. With the right mindset and tools, like meal tracking, you can create healthy, lasting change.

Reset your habits for losing weight

It’s funny how we often see other people’s habits more clearly than our own. When it comes to creating healthy habits for losing weight, that outside perspective can make all the difference.

Sometimes, asking a family member, friend, or counselor for feedback can help you see what’s really holding you back. They can help you spot patterns and brainstorm better habits for losing weight that align with your goals.

You can also take this approach yourself, with a little help from technology! Tracking calories and exercise with an app like MyNetDiary or Plate AI gives you a powerful, objective view of your daily patterns. It helps you identify what’s working, what’s not, and where small changes could have a big impact.

Check in with your habits

If your goal is to lose weight and keep it off, it’s important to step back and observe your behaviors from a distance. Try this: imagine you’re a “fly on the wall,” watching yourself throughout the day. Notice your food choices, your movement patterns, and your routines without judgment.

By observing yourself this way, you can start to identify which lifestyle habits are helping and which are slowing your progress. Once you spot them, you can make intentional tweaks that support long-term success.

Use your food tracker to reset eating and exercise behaviors

Your food log isn’t just a record–it’s a reflection tool. Set aside time each week to review your data and notice trends. Ask yourself the following questions:

When and where do I tend to overeat or skip meals?
What triggers mindless snacking?
How do I feel before and after exercise?

Now, pick one specific habit to focus on. For example, if you tend to snack late at night, experiment with shifting dinner later, prepping a satisfying bedtime snack, or reducing your screen time before bed.

Meal tracking makes it easier to connect your actions with outcomes, helping you establish healthy habits for losing weight that actually stick.

Real-life examples: Overcoming habit roadblocks

1. Jenny’s breakroom snacking

Jenny notices that during her afternoon work break, she mindlessly snacks with co-workers. Everyone brings in snacks, candy, and high-calorie foods they want out of their homes. It’s become a social ritual, but those extra calories add up.

Strategies to reset Jenny’s habit:

Bring a healthy snack from home to enjoy while socializing.
Suggest a walk or short stretching session instead of sitting in the breakroom.
Encourage co-workers to bring lighter, portion-controlled treats.
Try different approaches until one feels sustainable.

2. Steve’s evening walk slump

Steve loves his evening walks, but skips them once his favorite TV show returns in the fall.

Ways to maintain this healthy habit:

Record the show and watch it after his walk.
Stream the show’s audio and listen while walking.
Shift the walk to before dinner or during lunch.
Find a walking buddy for accountability and motivation.

3. Yolanda’s grocery store triggers

Yolanda realizes she shops after work, when she’s tired, hungry, and the store is crowded, which leads to impulsive food choices.

Healthy habits to make grocery shopping easier:

Eat a snack before shopping to avoid making hunger-triggered decisions.
Order groceries online for pickup or delivery to avoid in-person temptations.
Switch to a more relaxed time, like Sunday morning.
Use a shopping list based on her meal plan.
Try MyNetDiary’s built-in grocery list feature for quick, thoughtful planning.

Keep tracking, keep improving

Calorie and exercise tracking are core habits for losing weight, but reflection is what transforms them into lasting change. By regularly checking in on your patterns and adjusting as needed, you’ll build a foundation of healthy habits for losing weight that help you maintain progress, without restriction or burnout.

Even small changes, repeated consistently, can lead to “trim”endous transformations over time.

How to develop healthy habits for losing weight and keeping it off!

Reset your habits for losing weight

Check in with your habits

Use your food tracker to reset eating and exercise behaviors