There are many methods that you can try to help achieve a healthier and better lifestyle. But the thing about these tips is they are all straightforward; example, for you to shed excess weight, you should eat less and exercise more. If you want to get an energy boost, then you have to sleep well and remove your vices. To avoid dehydration, drink tons of water. However, there are others that may sound really counter-intuitive—they work well, but in the end, these tips may leave you scratching your head in disbelief.

1. To eat less, eat more.

This means that eating frequent but small meals is far better than bingeing on food. To do this, the kind of food you choose will play a big role too. Example: eating small amounts of carbs will only spike your blood glucose levels and will just leave you wanting for more carbs. So to combat this, choose foods that are high in protein instead such as string cheese or peanut butter partnered with an apple. These combinations have higher caloric content per serving but the protein content allows you feel full faster and stay full longer, making you eat fewer calories at the end of the day.

2. Drink coffee for more quality naps

Japan has recently released a study that determines how people can increase the quality of their naps. The results have shown that people who had “coffee naps”, meaning drank about 200mg of coffee and then went immediately to a 20-minute rest period did better on computer tests and generally felt more alert and awake than those test subjects who just went straight to napping without a caffeine boost.

3. Don’t brush after eating for you to maintain healthy teeth

This is especially true after you’ve eaten acidic foods. Acidic foods such as citrus, sodas, tomatoes and sports drinks can soften the enamel of the teeth. Brushing immediately after eating these kinds of food can only speed up the acid’s effect on the enamel which can later on erode it completely. It is suggested to wait up to 30 minutes before your brush your teeth.

4. Do not consume energy drinks when you are tired

Energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine compared to regular coffee. The boost that they provide is only short-acting and even comes with side effects in the likes of irritability, nervousness, and palpitations. The sweet stuff found in these energy drinks hike up your sugar levels temporarily only to leave you crashing afterwards making you feel more sluggish than when you started.

5. Gain Weight to Lose some

This pertains not to just any weight, but muscle weight. When you succeed in building bigger muscles, your overall fat percentage will become smaller.

6. Drink water when you feel bloated

If you feel that drinking water will just aggravate your feeling of bloatedness, well, you’re wrong. Water mixes with the body’s soluble fiber and turns into a gelatinous substance. This affects the motility of your stomach thus relieving the symptoms of bloating.

7. Drink a hot beverage to cool off

Uncommon practice but is curiously effective. Sipping a hot beverage allows your body to sense a change in your body temperature thereby increasing sweat production. Once your sweat starts evaporating off your skin, you will cool off naturally.