Ever feel like you exercise and eat as healthily as possible, but the weight you lose never seems to stay off? We do too, but that has nothing to do with the fact that we eat chicken nuggets once a week with a “24 pack or bust” mentality.

According to The Conversation, it could be our daily eating habits that stop us from keeping that pesky winter flab away.

Here are just some of their best habits to follow to get rid of that weight for good:

1. Follow a strict eating routine: Eat your meals at the same time every day, and eat up at a dining table instead of on the go. When you’re eating while distracted, it’s easy to ignore internal signals that indicate fullness, so naturally you keep on eating. Losing and keeping off weight can be attributed to establishing a strict routine, and maintaining it.
2. Swap it, don’t stop it: We’ve all heard the saying before, and it applies to your snacks too. Don’t stop snacking, just swap those biscuits and chips for some fresh fruit or veggie sticks.
3. Watch those drinks: Limit the amount of sugary drinks you consume every day, like juice, soft drinks and, unfortunately, alcohol. Swap these out for water where you can, and definitely drink alcohol in moderation. You can also stick to drinks that have less sugar – vodka, lime and sodas, beer, and some types of Rose are the best way to go. The sugar content is way lower than your beloved Watermelon Vodka Cruisers.
4. Drink a glass of water after every meal: Your body can be a little mean sometimes. When we think we’re absolutely starving, our body is sometimes confusing hunger with thirst – and we eat when we really should just be chugging water. Drinking water after all big meals of the day also quells your hunger. Down a full glass of water after eating and try waiting half an hour before going back for more food.
5. Portions, portions, portions: There is a way to eat more and less at the same time, and it’s all about portion control. Eat 6 small portions throughout the day, instead of 3 massive meals at the start, middle and end of every day. Have you ever heard the saying, “Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”? Definitely applicable.

Being healthy is all about sticking to a routine and making it as permanent as possible. Studies have shown that if you stick to one routine every single day for three weeks, it sticks in your brain and you begin follow it without even thinking. So be strong and keep to it!

Check out the full Conversation article here.

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