It’s no secret that the diet industry is worth billions of dollars. With so many people struggling to lose weight, it would seem that there must be an easy way to shed those pounds and keep them off for good. The truth is much more complicated than a simple answer or even a single solution. There are myriad reasons why someone might struggle with their weight, from genetics to environment and everything in between. The old adage “you are what you eat” rings true: if you want your body composition to change (and stay changed), then your eating habits need some serious work—which takes time and commitment on your part. It’s not easy, but neither are most things worthwhile in life!

Here are five ways to make that process a little easier.

1. Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance

If you’ve ever gone grocery shopping on an empty stomach after a long day of work, you know how horrible it can be. You end up buying junk food that you normally wouldn’t even consider (including way too many indulgent snacks), and since there is far less in the cart than expected, you succumb to an impulsive buy of the latest Kardashian novel (who needs that in their life?!). That’s why proper planning is essential—not only does it prevent these situations from occurring in your everyday life, but it provides for healthier options when they do. Before you head out for groceries (with a full stomach and a clear list!), meal prep for the week. This will give you a chance to plan out your meals, which automatically takes care of grocery shopping with plans in place so that you don’t stray from the healthy options.

2. Avoid Going Out for Lunch

There are numerous take-out options available near most workplaces—which can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you look at it. While not having to prepare your own lunch may seem nice for the workday, it does nothing good for the waistline. Plus, when you go out for lunch every day of the week (and order high-cal food items like pizza and burgers), that money adds up, fast! By meal prepping your lunch and bringing it with you to the office, you can save money every week—which adds up to a nice vacation fund after a few months of efforts.

3. Pre-Packaged Food Is Not Always Healthy

Yes, we’re all busy (and sometimes lazy). But if there is anything you should be even slightly wary of, it’s pre-packaged foods. Sure, they can be easy and convenient for those times when there is no other option—but read the labels! Pre-prepared food items often contain ingredients that are not exactly healthy (and may come with an extra side order of calories). Instead of grabbing these on the fly, prepare your own batch of healthy snacks and meals ahead of time.

4. Think About Portion Control

Portion control is key to maintaining a healthy weight—and one way to ensure that you’re getting just the right amount without going overboard is by meal prepping. By preparing your food in advance (and even pre-portioning it), you can be sure that your meals don’t contain too many calories.

5. Meal Prep Creates Convenience and Reduces Stress

When it comes to diet, the simpler the better—but sometimes life gets in the way of simplicity. That’s why meal prepping is so important—it ensures that you will have a healthy meal at the ready, whenever you want it. It removes the need to think about what to prepare for dinner or make time to stop by the grocery store and pick up items before they go bad (which can be especially difficult with today’s busy work schedules). Meal prepping saves time and money, plus reduces stress and promotes a healthy body!

If you’re looking for a way to have healthy, well-balanced meals without having to think about it throughout the day (or run out of food), meal prepping is one option that will help. Meal prepping can also save time and money by giving you all the ingredients needed for your week’s worth of recipes—plus reduce stress from not running around town picking up fresh produce or going out every day with lunch.