I’ve been the same weight for 10 years – until I made one new rule two weeks ago. Based on an educated hunch I vowed to drink more water during my workday. I was especially careful to drink at least 1 bottle of water in the morning. In the first week I noticed that I didn’t feel sluggish in the afternoon and by the end of the second week I had lost about 5 pounds.

Mathematically, I did more than add H2O to my diet. My appetite for sugary treats decreased and I felt more satisfied with less food. My normal routine had been drinking tea with breakfast and throughout the morning. After lunch I usually went back for more tea when I needed a lift. I often ordered a cookie as well because I was tired and the quick burst of energy was irresistible. (Sound familiar?) Any diet I tried in the past failed because I was never satisfied with the small portions. My weight was healthy and I figured my active lifestyle demanded the energy. My body needed what it needed.

But now I know I was underperforming. My hunch was correct and once I properly hydrated my body during the busiest time of my day everything fell into place. I drank water between client sessions and suddenly I didn’t need to snack and it was easier to make healthy food choices. Of course, it’s difficult to be scientifically conclusive. Two weeks is a very small sample of time and maybe the water created a placebo effect on my diet. Maybe the bottle of water was like a string around my finger reminding me to eat less. Then again, maybe I had been under-hydrating and it led to poor choices.

The decisions we make every day about eating, drinking, working out, stressing out (OK, not always a choice) have a lot to do with our overall health and wellness. This is especially true when it comes to weight loss. We often deliberate so quickly that we aren’t fully aware of the choices before us. Before we know what has happened we’ve served up a meal or snack that doesn’t serve our weight loss goals very well. Decisions and days go by and the failure to lose weight becomes a major frustration.

The solution is to find your personal key to better decision-making. Look at your daily life as a puzzle and see what doesn’t add up, what’s holding you back or what could be better. It is very possible that making one change (such as getting enough sleep, registering for a 5K race, or measuring portions) will be all it takes to set you on a path to success. Finding the key to your better life is a worthwhile endeavor. Consult a professional (trainer, nutritionist, life coach) if this task is too daunting. Get whatever assistance you need to do the work and make it happen.