There are a lot of questions that come up when you decide to start losing weight: Should you cut carbs, or should you eat less fat? Can you eat chocolate or nah? How bad are juice cleanses, really? Should you do more cardio or more strength training? It’s a lot, and it can be a little overwhelming at the start of your weight-loss journey.

Before you get caught up in these finer points, we suggest starting with the basics. Have you heard the 'big rocks' analogy? It’s about a teacher who filled a jar with—yep—big rocks. But it wasn't until he added in gravel, then sand, then water, that the jar was totally, completely full. And there was no way he was going to get that jar full if he waited until the end to add the big rocks. The point: You gotta start with the big stuff if you really want to get the most out of anything in life.

And, when it comes to weight loss, the big stuff is really important. After all, a lot of people "fail" at their diets because they get hung up on the finer points while never paying attention to the big movers and shakers in weight loss. Sure, you can cut out bananas, gluten, milk, or unicorn tears, but if you're still eating 1,000 more calories per day than you're burning, you're not going to lose weight. The same thinking applies to your workouts and overall lifestyle habits.

That's why we tapped Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., an instructor of medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, for the five basic weight-loss rules every woman who wants to lose weight needs to follow.

“I recommend that you implement these basic weight-loss rules at the same time, unless you find it too challenging to implement them all at once,” she says. “If that’s the case, take a stepwise approach: Start with diet, master it, move to physical activity, master it, and so forth.” (Speed up your progress towards your weight-loss goals with Women's Health's Look Better Naked DVD.)

Focus On Eating High-Quality Whole Foods

There are a million different diets out there that promise just as many weight-loss benefits. But the only real diet you should follow is a “high-quality diet of lean protein, vegetables, whole grains, and fruits,” says Stanford. “It’s important to choose foods that are consistently healthy—and the less processed the foods, the better they are for you.” Plus, eating a high-protein diet could lead to nearly twice as much fat loss than a moderate-protein diet, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. And upping your consumption of fruits and veggies can also contribute to weight loss, reports the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. No matter what, “stick with whole foods as much as possible,” says Stanford.

Related: 'This One Tweak Helped Me Lose All The Baby Weight And Then Some'

Move More Both in (And Out Of) The Gym

Being active doesn’t just mean getting sweaty at the gym—you should aim to move more throughout your day, Stanford says. After all, no matter how much you exercise in the gym, too much sedentary time has been associated with more weight gain, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The current U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, plus strength-training twice per week.

This is the easiest way to get more active:

preview for The Easiest Way To Get More Active

Get More Sleep

Lack of sleep and weight problems go hand in hand. “You want to get regular and high-quality sleep,” says Stanford. "We often compromise sleep, but we should make efforts to get consistent, restful sleep, because it plays an important role in weight regulation.” For example, in one small study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, dieters who slept for five and a half hours per night lost less body fat and more lean body mass (the opposite of what you want!) compared to those who slept for eight and a half hours per night. Research has also shown sleep restriction to increase the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Stanford recommends between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.

Related: 7 Supplements That Melt Fat

Align Your Sleep and Wake Cycles with Your Circadian Rhythms

It’s not just important that you get enough sleep; when you sleep can affect your weight, too. “The body likes to be awake when it is light outside and it likes to be asleep when it is dark outside. When we disrupt this pattern (as is in the case of night shift workers), we disrupt the pathways in our brain that regulate weight,” says Stanford. “This can lead to weight gain.” When you flip your sleep schedule, you could burn up between 12 percent and 16 percent fewer calories, according to a research done at the University of Colorado. The more you veer from a normal schedule, the more you increase your risk for weight gain and obesity, says Stanford. So if possible, keep those bedtimes and wake-times consistent. If you're stuck with a work schedule that keeps you up all night, be mindful of paying extra attention to the other factors on this list as a form of compensation. 

Related: The 8 Best Bedtime Snacks for Weight Loss

Don’t Stress So Much

Sure, that’s easier said than done, but if you want to lose weight, it’s time to employ those mindfulness and meditation techniques. “We all have stress in our lives, but we must make all efforts to minimize our stress as chronic stress can lead to weight gain,” says Stanford. One study published in the journal Obesity compared stress levels and body weight, and found that people with higher levels of cortisol—the stress hormone—had larger waists, weighed more, and had higher higher body mass indexes (BMIs).

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Ashley Mateo
Ashley Mateo is a writer, editor, and UESCA- and RRCA-certified running coach who has contributed to Runner’s World, Bicycling, Women's Health, Health, Shape, Self, and more. She’ll go anywhere in the world once—even if it’s just for a good story. Also into: good pizza, good beer, and good photos.