If you want to achieve healthy weight loss, you need to focus on drinking water in the morning, moving your body in the fresh air and avoiding food until you’re hungry, a dietitian has claimed.

Leanne Ward, from Brisbane, said reaching your goals means ‘being consistent’, and being consistent means setting ‘easy habits’ that you can achieve day in and day out.

Leanne recommends finding 30 minutes each morning – either by getting up earlier or setting aside the time – to do a few things, as doing this will help you ‘mentally and physically thrive’.

1. Start with gratitude

The first thing Leanne said you should do is to practise gratitude first thing in the morning.

‘When you train your brain to focus on the positives, it’s a lot easier to do more positive things,’ Leanne said on Instagram.

This could be as simple as thinking about five things you’re grateful for every day, or just writing down why you’re thankful.

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2. Get some movement in

Secondly, the dietitian always prioritises morning movement.

‘Focus on getting out into the fresh air and get some vitamin D in,’ Leanne said.

It doesn’t matter if this is a 20-minute walk or a one-hour hike, the important thing is moving your body gently in the fresh air.

Leanne aims to get 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day, depending on how much exercise she has done that day.

It’s a good idea to make as many of these steps first thing in the morning, as it sets you up for a successful day ahead and means you have less to fit in later on.

3. Drink water 

While lots of health experts will recommend you drink water with lemon, apple cider vinegar or chlorophyll first thing in the morning, Leanne said plain old H20 is what you really need.

‘Simple plain water is perfect for your body,’ she said.

Just one glass means you’re instantly hydrated while ensuring that the first thing that hits your lips isn’t coffee.

Leanne said we often mistake hunger for thirst, so every time you think you’re hungry, grab a sip or even a glass of water.

Then, check back in with your body to find out whether you were really hungry or just in need of water.

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4. Get protein in

When the time comes to have your first meal of the day, Leanne said the most important thing is that you get some protein in.

‘Focus on both protein and fibre at your first meal so that you’re nice and full and satisfied,’ she said.

Good protein examples for breakfast include eggs, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese and peanut butter.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for fibre, berries, granola and sliced almonds are all good options.

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5. Eat when you’re hungry

Finally, while you might think it’s important to eat as soon as you wake up, in fact, Leanne said it’s a better idea to pay attention to your hunger cues.

‘Eat when you’re hungry and not because of the clock,’ she said.

‘Too many of us wake up and eat out of habit but our bodies don’t actually need fuel yet.’

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She added: ‘Pay attention to what your body is telling you, particularly if you had a lot to eat the day before’.