It may sound a little (OK, a lot) ridiculous, but a study out of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago tested 3,000 people and found this to be a quirky way of cutting down over-eating.

It’s believed that smelling apples, pears and peppermint could trick your brain into thinking you’re actually eating it. This could help you cut back on bingeing on whatever sweet treat/cookie/Nutella jar is in reach.

Staying in your target heart rate zone ensures you get the most out of your sweat session. Target heart rate is dependent on age. Here’s how to calculate yours: Subtract your current age from 220.

This gives you your maximum heart rate in beats per minute. Then, multiple that number by 0.7 (70 percent) to determine the lower end of your target heart rate zone. Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.85 (85 percent) to determine the upper end of your target heart rate zone. Staying between these two numbers during your workout is ideal for optimal results.

Apparently, consistent exposure to light during the time of night when you’re meant to be sleeping can wreak havoc on your metabolism, meaning that you can put on weight without even eating more food.

This is because researchers at Ohio State University found that those who sleep in total darkness are consequentially far less prone to putting on weight compared to those who sleep with dim illumination (tech life, inncluded).

Like we need any excuse to get a little more shut-eye…

Non-salted, raw almonds, cashews and pistachios are loaded with healthy fats, meaning that each of these nut varieties make for nutritious, high-energy snacks when hunger pangs set in.

Not only that, but nuts are satiating, meaning that they will leave you feeling fuller for longer so that you won’t feel the need to hit the office vending machine for a 3pm Twix (refined sugars can slow you down and, if over consumed, lead to a bunch of health problems).

Sure, in a tech-governed era when easy tap-and-go payment methods like PayWave rule the way we shop, when it comes to your health, it’s better to kick it old school.

Making the conscious effort to count out the cash and coin you want to spend on that third fresh coconut for the day may actually deter you from buying it at all.

Listening to your favorite beats really can make your workout seem like less of a drag. In fact, in one study, upbeat music kept research participants running 15 percent longer and helped them feel more positive about their workout — even as they neared exhaustion.

Take a minute to load a killer playlist onto your iPhone or download a fitness-based music app like Spring.

Don’t go for a takeaway smoothie, you never quite know what’s lurking under the lid or whether it’s going to hurt your weight loss efforts. Popular chain smoothies can pack well over 100 grams of sugar into a drink you down in 20 minutes. No wonder you’re reaching for a snack an hour later.

Make a smoothie at home, however, and you can pack in vitamins, minerals and satiating fiber you would otherwise miss. Plus, it’s probably the only way you’re ever going to eat raw spinach with breakfast, right?

Tea has been proven to boost metabolism, turn on your fat-burning hormones and help reduce stress — it’s no wonder tea lovers always looks so trim and well rested.

Green tea, in particular, contains catechins, a group of antioxidants that studies show can help to reduce belly fat. If you sip a little before a workout, these compounds can also increase your fat burn during aerobic exercise.

Numerous studies indicate that drinking water boosts your metabolism and gut health, but, really, it all comes down to drinking enough water to keep your body hydrated so your body and brain can function (and burn more kilojoules in the process).

Struggle chugging down more than a glass or two a day? Get your H2O intake up by eating water-loaded fruits like watermelon (it’s made up of 92 per cent water).

Though it’s a fat, coconut oil has been shown to scorch belly flab. A study of 30 men in the journal Pharmacology found that those who consumed two tablespoons of coconut oil a day shrank their waists by an average of 1.1 inches in one month.

Can’t fathom the thought of eating the tropical oil from a spoon? Stir a teaspoon into your coffee for a creamy sippable treat.

(Text by Ellie McDonald, bauersyndication.com.au / Additional Reporting by Natalya Molok)