Oftentimes, the best weight loss strategies are also the simplest. Just check out this study from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center that revealed three so-basic-but-so-effective tips to shed more pounds:

1. Keep a food journal

What the study found:

Women who kept food journals consistently lost about 6 more pounds than those who did not.

Why it works:

"It is difficult to make changes to your diet when you are not paying close attention to what you are eating," says research author Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., and it's easy to overeat. Keeping a food journal helps you become more aware of your food habits and makes you more accountable. By writing down what you eat, you not only keep track of your daily calorie intake, you can also assess your overall nutrition habits, identify emotional eating patterns, and make healthy changes.

2. Don't skip meals

What the study found:

Women who did not skip meals lost almost 8 more pounds than women who did.

Why it works:

If you allow your body to run on empty you're more likely to overeat. "The mechanism is not completely clear, but we think that skipping meals or fasting might cause you to respond more favorably to high-calorie foods and therefore take in more calories overall."

3. Avoid eating out (especially for lunch)

What the study found:

Women who ate out for lunch at least weekly lost on average 5 fewer pounds than those who ate out less frequently. (Dining out often at all meal times was associated with less weight loss, but the strongest association was observed with lunch.)

Why it works:

"Eating in restaurants usually means less individual control over ingredients and cooking methods, as well as larger portion sizes," says McTiernan. By preparing your own meals at home, you can easily eliminate all these obstacles to making healthful dietary choices.