No one’s weight loss journey is perfect. You’ll almost certainly experience some setbacks and even weight loss plateaus. Unless you come armed with the right knowledge, those setbacks are more likely to knock you completely off track than they are to be a mild inconvenience. Don’t worry—we’re here to help you avoid that from happening!

Whether you’re thinking about losing weight, you’re already 20 pounds toward your goal, or you’re finally on the cusp of losing those final 5 pounds, there are some critical tips you need to be aware of to set yourself up for success. To put together this list of weight loss mistakes that are holding you back from reaching your body’s full fat-burning potential, we looked at the science and talked to experts. Remember them—then learn how to overcome them with these 21 Healthy Eating Habits That Help You Lose Weight.

If you’ve recently shed a ton of weight, you should absolutely celebrate your success—with a tall glass of water. Just kidding! Go ahead and treat yourself. You deserve it. However, if your celebrations involve many consecutive happy hours or big portions of your favorite fat- and sugar-laden chocolate cakes, odds are, you’ll see the weight creep back onto you before you know it.

Remind yourself of this sobering stat before you open a bottle of wine: Alcohol can decrease your body’s fat-burning ability by up to 73%! Here’s a smarter way to celebrate: Reward yourself with something you can’t put in your mouth. Leah Kaufman, MS, RD, CDN, a New York City-based registered dietitian, suggests making a concerted effort to not use food as a reward. “I suggest using things like manicures and SoulCycle classes as a reward for all the hard work,” she says. When you eat junk food during times of emotional eating, it “will only lead to unhealthy yo-yo dieting.”

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The most important concept to keep in mind after you’ve lost significant pounds is “metabolic adaptation.” During weight loss, your body’s metabolism naturally slows down calorie burn on a daily basis to hang on to fat. In addition, your levels of leptin, the hunger hormone that tells your body when you’re full, actually drop after weight loss, so you may feel hungry.

The key to avoiding going back to eating the same number of calories you did before you lost weight is to double down on your awareness of calorie content and the size of meals. Do this by keeping a daily food diary for at least a week after you’ve reached your weight-loss goal. Studies show that being more mindful of what you eat—and how many calories it contains—will help you make healthier food choices and reduce snacking on calorie-dense processed foods.

Most people who’ve reached their goal weight stop stepping on the scale. That’s a mistake. While keeping an eye on the scale is The #1 Thing You Can Do Every Day to Lose Weight, it’s also an incredibly important factor in keeping that weight off.

Though the number on the scale isn’t the only way to judge your continued success, research shows that those who don’t partake in the ritual tend to pack on more weight than those who don’t. Why? The scale keeps you mindful of your diet, and it will quickly tip you off to weight regain.

That being said, there’s no need to be a slave to your scale. Checking in once a week should do the trick. And here’s a tip: Since weight naturally fluctuates throughout the week, researchers say that Wednesday weigh-ins are the most accurate.

Eating enough protein can keep your muscle from breaking down, but not getting enough can slow your metabolic rate. That’s because simply maintaining muscle mass will help your body burn calories faster. That way, your body will then turn to torching unwanted fat. Without muscle, you’ll be more susceptible to unwanted weight gain. How much protein do you need to eat per day to lose weight? Protein intake differs by the individual. However, for many people, consuming 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day should be enough to help you lose weight.

While following a zero- to low-carb diet like keto can help you shed pounds when you first start, these all-or-nothing type diets are hard to maintain long-term—and they can ultimately set you up for weight regain.

Completely slashing your carbohydrate intake will leave you with some not-so-pleasant side effects that can make it hard to go about your daily routine. Your body will start to exhibit signs of exhaustion, irritability, and lethargy—all of which have also been connected with overeating. “Carbs play an important role [in our daily lives], as our brain and central nervous system require them continuously to work properly,” trainer and registered dietitian Tim McComsey, RD says. Restricting carbs completely may cause any newly added, fat-burning muscle mass to be metabolized for energy rather than carbs.

If you haven’t switched up your workout routine recently, your body’s main calorie-torching mechanism may have idled down to slow burn. Wake up your metabolic rate by shocking your muscles, suggests Dr. Sean M. Wells, personal trainer and owner of Wells Physical Therapy. “If you’ve been doing the same workout for the past few months, your body isn’t being challenged anymore, meaning it’s not burning as many calories as it otherwise could,” he explains. If you normally ride a bike for exercise, try running or tennis to give your metabolism a kick.

Inadequate sleep can slow your metabolism and pile on the pounds. In one study, researchers analyzed more than 500 participants’ weekday sleep diaries and found that losing a mere 30 minutes of shut-eye increased their risk of obesity by 17%! Even mild sleep deprivation causes ghrelin—the hunger-stimulating hormone—to go into overdrive while simultaneously reducing levels of leptin—the hormone that suppresses appetite. In turn, this stimulates hunger even when you’re full, which can lead to overeating and weight gain. Solve your problems by understanding these 17 Reasons You’re Overeating (And How to Stop!)

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If you’re working hard to drop those extra five or ten pounds, you’re probably well aware of the fact that you should focus your diet on the quality of the foods you’re eating and not necessarily the quantity. You probably also know that you should cut back entirely on insidious added sugars, processed foods, and refined grains—while concentrating your shopping list on an influx of whole foods and colorful veggies. Stay hydrated and exercise, and you’re well on your way to watching the pounds melt away.

But there are a lot of little tricks—many sneakily effective—that can help give your weight-loss efforts a much-needed assist along the way. We’re talking about little clever hacks, surprising mental tricks, and other next-level weight-loss tactics that can help you finally reach your goals quicker and more effectively than you ever knew. To know what they are, read on—we’ve listed at least five of them right here. And if you’re hungry for more expert-backed ways to lose weight fast, don’t miss these 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips.

Leading scientists have made a remarkable discovery in recent years: When your muscles aren’t moving at all—even for short periods—your metabolism may be taking a breather.

Here’s why: A remarkable study published in the journal PLOS One examined the role of myosin, a motor protein in animal cells that is crucial to muscle function and metabolism. The researchers ultimately discovered that for many animals, myosin simply shuts off when muscles are inactive for even short periods of time. (The researchers noted that this is an evolutionary hunting tactic for many animals, such as spiders, who require a “sit-and-wait” strategy in which they conserve energy while waiting for prey.) But here’s the thing: We humans have myosin, as well.

The breakthrough has led weight-loss experts to preach the merits of not only performing high-intensity exercises and running 10ks but also of simply swinging your arms or fidgeting if you’re relaxing on the couch. “Moving throughout the day is important, says Clyde Wilson, Ph.D., of Stanford University. “Because a simple twitch from your nervous system to muscle is what gets you out of [that inactive] state.” So even if you’re being lazy, keep moving—and keep burning fat!

According to a study published in The Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, eating your food in front of a mirror can actually help you alter your eating habits for the better. “After eating unhealthy food in front of a mirror, individuals experience the discomfort of acting against the standards of healthy eating,” the researchers write. “We argue that people attribute this discomfort to the food’s taste since it is difficult to attribute the discomfort to the self while being self-aware.” So if you really want to hold yourself accountable, watch yourself eat that greasy Seamless order! And for more amazing ways to lose weight, see these 25 Amazing Weight Loss Tips from Doctors!

Buying groceries on an empty stomach is never a good idea. Research has shown it inhibits your ability to make smart choices about what you wish to eat. In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that even short-term fasts can lead people to make more unhealthy food choices, picking a higher quantity of high-calorie foods. Want to ensure you buy healthy foods? Fill up before you shop!

It may feel like years since you’ve had to wear business clothing. Well, that may not be the worst thing for your waistline, as more casual attire has been shown to come with some sneaky weight-loss benefits. A study by The American Council on Exercise suggests that wearing less-dressed-up clothing increases physical activity levels in our daily routines.

A study published in The Journal of Consumer Research found that the color of your eating surface matters just as much as the portion size of the food that may be on it. The researchers discovered that high color contrast between your food and your plate means that you’re all but guaranteed to eat less. Study participants who ate off white plates weren’t so fortunate: They ate 22% more food than those who ate off plates that were red in color! And no matter what color your plates are, make sure you’re always avoiding these 50 Worst Foods for Weight Loss.

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