The key to losing weight and keeping it off is to make small, incremental and sustainable behavioral changes that, over time, make a significant difference in the overall development of a healthy life. Start with changes that are so small and manageable that you know you can’t fail.

Here are three simple ways you can get started with your weight-loss:

1. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier.

Two hormones leptin and ghrelin are your hunger-management hormones, and they are controlled largely by sleep. If you get too little, you’ll find yourself more hungry and craving starchy foods throughout the day. When you get just the right amount of sleep, these hormones will stay in check.

2. Ditch the sugar in your drinks.

If you enjoy carbonated soft drinks, opt for a club soda and a squeeze of lemon or lime, or look for sodas sweetened with stevia. A glass of orange juice can contain up to 25 grams of sugar per serving, which equates to about five or six cubes of sugar.

And if you’re adding sugar to your coffee, try stevia as the sweetener instead. This can really add up to significant calorie savings.

3. Eat protein at every meal.

Protein is an essential component to your weight-loss strategy. One great approach is to consume at least 30 grams at breakfast, which has been shown to reduce cravings and hunger throughout the day. Protein is also essential for building and maintaining lean muscle during the fat-loss process.

With just a few adjustments to your diet you’ll start to see positive results. And with momentum comes increased personal motivation to do more and get even better results.