10 years ago, we all thought the secret to weight loss was eating less and moving more – that's what doctors told us, after all. And that's true, but there are some secret weight loss tricks that can score you bonus points.

We now know that everything from our environment and mentality to our stress levels and biology influence the size of our fat cells – and our pants. Thankfully, a pool of forward-thinking experts have made it their mission to devise solutions to counteract newly-discovered weight loss saboteurs – and we've brought them right here to your screen.

Read on to discover these fascinating and effective weight loss tricks you probably haven't tried before. One of them could be the key to that lifelong flat belly you've been looking for. Try them out!

Stop giving yourself excuses

A large part of the battle of getting on track to lose weight is in your head. You need to get over your story about why everything doesn’t work. We all have a ‘story’ about our reason.

From “I’m not a morning person” to “I can’t stay on track” and “I don’t like water,” you need to drop the story that’s preventing you from accomplishing your goals. Once you stop believing the story you’re telling yourself, you’ll be able to get more done. We promise your actions will catch up with your mind!

Reorganise your plate

Most people think of their protein or meat as their meal's main event, but it's time to change the way you think. Place flavourful vegetables front and centre on lunch and dinner plates, accompanied by sides of protein and whole grains. By simply rearranging your plate, you'll automatically consume fewer calories and take in more health-protective vitamins and nutrients.

Be consistent and patient

Experts tell that their number-one weight loss trick is consistency, effort, and patience. Too many people end up giving up after a few weeks, but it takes time to see progress. There is no quick strategy that will magically help you meet your weight loss goal overnight. Focus on fundamental principles for a healthier long-term relationship with our bodies for sustainable results.

Cut processed food and workout five days a week

You need to workout 30 minutes a day, five days a week and cut out anything processed from your diet. We suggest starting simple and committing to a routine, keeping in mind that it takes 40 days to solidify a new habit.

Change your goals to exclude weight loss

First, throw out your scale. Rather than making a number your goal, make the process your goal, and as a byproduct, you will lose 10 to 25 pounds. Translation: Switch your goals to exclude a weight-loss objective and instead focus on things that you have quantified control over.

Goals shouldn’t be ‘I want to lose 20 pounds,’ they should be ‘I want to take 12,000 steps a day,’ ‘I want to get at least seven hours of quality sleep a night, or ‘I want to eat protein and fibre five times a day.’ Because these are all things you have direct control over, they’re much easier to achieve.

Don’t restrict yourself to solely doing lengthy workouts

We think small habits are what eventually ends up changing your lifestyle. It’s the more sustainable thing.

Practicing yoga for us has been a really life-changing thing. The idea that it doesn’t have to be this 90-minute super sweaty Vinyasa class at a studio every day but instead rolling out the mat or keeping your mat rolled out and starting every day by stepping on the mat and seeing what comes up. If you have five minutes that day, be okay with that. If you have an hour and a half, be okay with that. We think just getting into a routine of having that time – no matter how short – for yourself every day is super life-changing.

Drink more water

This is a simple tip. As easy as it sounds, drinking more water can truly make a huge difference in your weight loss journey. Drinking a glass of water can suppress your appetite, which leads to fewer calories consumed. Water also helps move waste in the body. Waste can build over time and lead to dehydration and constipation. Expelling this waste from our body will shed some weight and reduce any bloating you may feel.