Girl Smarts: This simple trick might help you lose 10 pounds without dieting at all

In his next book, Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight, 22 participants shed an average of 10 pounds each over six weeks when they added moderate exercise and meal planning to the mix.

It sounds too good to be true: losing five pounds just from decluttering. But that's precisely what pro organizer Peter Walsh heard from readers after the release of his first book.

In his next book, Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight, 22 participants shed an average of 10 pounds each over six weeks when they added moderate exercise and meal planning to the mix.

This isn't a study, but experts often cite "a clean house" as a pillar of wellness—and nutritionist Keri Glassman, R.D., says it may very well help you slim down.

"A behavioral and physiological chain reaction is put into motion by having a streamlined space," she says. Picture the domino effect of a messy closet: The chaos makes it harder to choose clothes. You're late. No time for breakfast, which can slow your metabolism and release the fattening stress hormone cortisol.

Check out Mama June's incredible weight loss transformation:

Now imagine the reverse: Picking an outfit calmly from a clean closet and feeling chill. Enjoying a healthy breakfast. So...are we simplifying? A bit. Will other factors stress you out and unleash the cortisol beast? A litany of them! But in the grand scheme of things, this struck us as a pretty neat (and easy) way to make weight loss less of a slog.

Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight is published by Rodale Inc., publisher of Women's Health.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2018 issue of Women's Health. For more great advice, pick up a copy of the issue on newsstands now!

posted by Campus94