Dropping a few pounds doesn’t have to involve deprivation or intense workouts. These tricks will help you slim down the easy way

1. Drink Enough Water

There are so many reasons why water is, among other things, good for your waistline. Drinking cold water can help up your metabolism, since your body will work harder to warm up the liquid, meaning more calories burned for you. Drinking water regularly also helps keep you feeling full so you don’t snack on empty calories, and hydrating before you exercise will help release muscle-building hormones in your body — which spells good news for not only your strength goals but also your metabolism.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Celebs and doctors alike can’t stop talking about their go-to weight-loss secret: one of the keys to losing or preventing weight gain is getting enough sleep. Why? Turns out we end up eating more when we’re sleep-deprived. A recent study, for example, showed that participants who got only four hours of sleep ended up consuming 300 more calories than when they were well rested.

3. Practice Portion Control

Even if you’re not on a diet, being mindful of how much you’re eating is good practice. It can take a few minutes for your brain to recognize that you’re full, so get in the habit of knowing how much an actual serving size is (and how much it takes until you’re full), and you’ll be less apt to pack on the pounds due to overeating.

4. Drink Green Tea

Water’s not the only metabolism booster in town. Studies have shown that drinking green tea can give your metabolism a tiny increase — which can add up to over 400 extra calories burned a week! Not only that, the beverage has got some major antioxidant power, so drink up.

5. Use Your Friends

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be much easier with the support and motivation of like-minded friends. Having a healthy support group can lead to better choices for yourself; you may find yourself moving more, skipping more calorie-laden happy hours, and making other lifestyle choices that can contribute to weight loss.