6 Ways a Mason Jar Can Help You Lose Weight

Grab a small mason jar, cut up 20 or so strips of paper, and write down short, one-exercise ideas that take about a minute to complete. Keep it on your bedroom nightstand or dresser, and as soon as you pop out of bed, reach into the jar and pull one out. If you're feeling extra inspired, do another exercise, or do a few. Although not a major calorie-burning workout, a little exercise in the morning can boost your metabolism and can also inspire exercise later in the day.

Overnight oats are like the definition of a quick, healthy breakfast, and because you can measure everything out and prep a week's worth at once, your healthy portion-controlled breakfast is more likely to happen. Then all you have to do is pour in the soy or almond milk before hopping in bed. How easy is that?

Actually visualizing the pounds lost is serious motivation. Use pom poms, cotton balls, marbles, or rocks.

Use small mason jars coupled with the plastic cup you get from fruit cups to pack two-ingredient snacks like hummus and veggie sticks, fruit slices with nut butter, yogurt and granola, or chips and bean dip.

Put an empty mason jar on your counter where you see it a few times every day. Every time you exercise, throw money in the jar — $1 for regular workouts, $5 for longer ones like workshops, hikes, or races. After the workout piggybank is full, go out and use it to reward your efforts (in a healthy way, of course).

If lunch is made, then it cuts out the temptation to hit up your local cafe to order something unhealthy. Salads are perfect because they're low in calories and high in filling fiber. Don't have time to cut up a salad every single night? Here's a way to make all the salads you need for your workweek at once.