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This one diet change will make all the difference for a healthier 2020. (Photo: Getty Images)

When it comes to shedding unwanted pounds, it’s not counting calories or shrinking your meal portions that will do the trick. The most efficient way to lose weight without ever feeling hungry? Ditch added sugars.

Yes, just cutting back on sugar (and its sidekicks— refined carbs and artificial sweeteners) causes those excess pounds to melt off effortlessly.

“For anyone struggling with weight issues, lack of willpower, or even just fatigue and low energy, cutting out sources of added sugar can be a great way of boosting health,” says Max Lugavere, a health researcher I interviewed for my new book Sugar Free 3. Giving up sugar — even just for three weeks — can help you start to ‘reset’ your palette so that you are less likely to even crave sweet foods. You’ll also be consuming fewer empty calories since sugar has no nutritional value. You’ll be making up for the sugar you aren’t eating with real, whole delicious foods.

And you’ll feel more satisfied.

Did you answer “sugar-obsessed?” Then you’re a prime candidate for Openfit’s Sugar Free 3 program, a 21 day plan to help with more energy, better looking skin, and surprisingly easy. weight loss. Find out more

Think about how many calories you can save just by cutting out two sodas a day, that coffee with cream and sugar, and your afternoon chocolate fix. (Let’s be honest, can anyone really stop at just one square?) Plus, when you eat sugar, you tend to crave sugary foods.

Assures Lugavere: “Once you eliminate foods with added sugars— including commercial breads, sauces, fruit juices, yogurts, and even salad dressings—your hunger will naturally regulate itself so that you needn’t rely on willpower, which is a finite and fragile resource! You’ll end up eating less, which will lead to” — you guessed it — “weight loss.” Sugar Free 3 reveals the sneaky places sugar hides.

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“Giving up sugar helps with weight loss in many ways,” says registered dietician Keri Glassman. “Sugar equals extra calories, and extra calories eventually turn to fat to be stored if they aren’t needed for fuel by the body. Additionally, chemical and emotional responses to sugar consumption can make you overeat and gain weight— unless you regain control.

Here are four easy diet moves you can make today to kick sugar to the curb in 2020:

Cutting out soda will instantly decrease your sugar intake. (Photo: Getty Images)

Swap out soda. Drink seltzer water flavored with fresh-squeezed lemon or lime, herbs such as mint and basil. Plus, staying hydrated quells cravings.

Trading white bread for whole grain loafs like rye is a delicious way to decrease sugar. (Photo: Getty Images)

Opt for whole-grain breads. Look for the words “whole wheat” not just “wheat”, for starters.

Make eating more fresh berries a resolution for 2020. (Photo: Getty Images)

Eat whole fruit: Berries or sliced apple with cinnamon are naturally sweet and also healthy because they contain vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Stevia makes a super substitute for sugar. (Photo: Getty Images)

Use healthy sweeteners: Stevia and monk fruit are plant-derived and don’t impact your blood sugar, so are fine to use in moderation, say, in your morning coffee.

For more tips on how to cut back on sugar, crush cravings, easily read a nutrition label to spot hidden sugars, make simple, healthy recipes and more, check out Sugar Free 3.

Michele Promaulayko is an influential voice on health, wellness, beauty, relationships and women's issues. She is an award-winning editor and journalist who has led world-class media brands such as Women's Health and Cosmopolitan and is the current Editorial-Director-at-Large for THE WELL. In her latest book, Sugar Free 3, Promaulayko tackles one of the biggest health problems Americans struggle with today — sugar dependency — and provides a simple, actionable solution for evading its detrimental impact.

Was your answer “yes”? Then try Openfit’s Sugar Free 3 program, a 21 day plan to help with more energy, better looking skin, and surprisingly easy. weight loss. Find out more

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