Think small and lose big

The key to weight-loss? One simple change each day says Liz Applegate, Ph.D. Research says it takes three weeks to form a habit. Do these 21 small changes and enjoy a slimmer you, better focus, more energy and a fresh start.
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Most people think it takes a nutritional overhaul to lose weight. But the secret to weight-loss lies in the details of your diet and activity level. Do you choose higher-fat versions of food over lower-fat varieties? Do you down sugary drinks when no-kilojoule options abound? Do you sit more than you stand? If you think the answers have little to do with your weight, do the maths. Altering just one or two of these patterns can translate into more than 9 kilograms of weight-loss in a year. After 21 days of small changes, you'll see old habits that kept the weight on replaced by new habits that'll peel off the kilograms.

1. Reach for a bottle of water instead of iced tea or fruit punch.
Immediate impact: Slash 1088 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Substitute water for one sugary drink every day for six months and you'll cut enough kiljoules to lose 6 kilograms.

2. If you drive to work, park a kilometre away from your building and walk to and from your office.
Immediate impact: Burn an extra 586 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Do this just two days per week until November and burn off nearly 600 grams.

3. Instead of eating your regular energy bar, opt for a smaller "low fat" bar.
Immediate impact: Save 586 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Trade three energy bars a week for these lighter versions and by the new year you can lose 1.4 kilograms.

4. Have the guy at the sandwich shop put mustard on your sandwich instead of mayo.
Immediate impact: Cut 376 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Skip the mayo on your sandwich just twice a week and in a year you could be 1.2 kilograms lighter.

5. Take in fewer kilojoules by snacking on pretzels instead of potato chips.
Immediate impact: Save 209 kilojoules per 30 grams.
Long-term loss: Skip the chips three afternoons per week until Halloween and lose about half a kilogram.

6. Drink a 600ml Diet Coke instead of regular Coke.
Immediate impact: Eliminate 1045 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Switch to drinking diet soda every day and in a year you'll consume about 380 400 fewer kilojoules (12 kilograms).

7. Instead of running with your dog, take Fido for his own 45-minute walk.
Immediate impact: Burn an extra 680 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Walk the dog twice every weekend, and by the holidays you can burn off over 1 kilogram.

8. Instead of your regular bagel with cream cheese, have just half with fat-free cream cheese.
Immediate impact: Slash 670 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Make this switch every Sunday morning and you can lose more than a kilogram in a year.

9. Have an iced fat-free latte with artificial sugar instead of an Iced Caffe Mocha.
Immediate impact: Cut 1090 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Try this every Monday and you can celebrate the summer holidays 680 grams lighter.

10. Use a low-carb tortilla instead of a regular one for your burrito.
Immediate impact: Eat 145 fewer kilojoules and add six grams of fibre.
Long-term loss: Make this tortilla switch twice per week for a year and earn a half-kilogram loss.

11. Ride your bike for that midweek grocerystore trip.
Immediate impact: Burn 375 kilojoules for every 10 minutes.
Long-term loss: Bike to the store once a week (15 minutes each way) until winter and you'll burn off an extra 680 grams.

12. Eat a whole orange instead of drinking 350 millilitres of orange juice.
Immediate impact: Save 270 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Dump the OJ permanently and eat the real thing every morning and in three months you could lose 680 grams.

13. When you're out to dinner, split a starter with a friend.
Immediate impact: Eliminate at least 1046 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Do this when dining out once per week and cut enough kilojoules to lose about 2 kilograms over a year.

14. Really clean your house - wash the windows and scrub the floors.
Immediate impact: Burn 600 to 1200 kilojoules per hour.
Long-term loss: Clean two hours per week until Christmas for a spotless house and a 1- to 2-kilogram loss.

15. Use a smaller plate at Sunday brunch.
Immediate impact: Cut anywhere from 200 to 2000 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Stick with a smaller plate for every meal and through portion-control alone you could lose half to 1 kilogram per week.

16. Use low-fat cheese on your sandwich instead of full fat.
Immediate impact: Save 250 kilojoules per gram.
Long-term loss: Choose low-fat cheese for your sandwich every workday and by the end of the summer you can lose half a kilogram.

17. Put a 240ml mark on a glass (most people drink 340ml at a time).
Immediate impact: 230 fewer kilojoules per 120ml of sweetened drink.
Long-term loss: Lose 2.5 kilograms per year by drinking smaller servings of sweet drinks.

18. Move around more at work - pace when you're on the phone or walk to the furthest bathroom. Immediate impact: Work off 80 to 630 kilojoules per day.
Long-term loss: You could burn enough to lose 2 kilograms by year's end.

19. Have two cups of air-popped popcorn instead of microwave, butter-flavoured popcorn.
Immediate impact: Slice 340 kilojoules and seven grams of fat.
Long-term loss: Go for the air-popped twice per week and lose 1.2 kilograms in a year.

20. Sip on fitness water instead of sports drink when you're not running or about to run.
Immediate impact: Save 165 kilojoules per 240ml.
Long-term loss: Trade a bottle everyday and you could lose 2kg by next summer.

21. Park your car in a central location, then walk to and from it as you run errands.
Immediate impact: Walk off 400 to 800 kilojoules.
Long-term loss: Make errand day a weekly habit for two months and you could lose 700 grams.