People tend to fear starting a weight loss plan because they never seem to get it right. They start, life gets in the way, the process becomes too difficult, the temptations become too easy to give in to, and they quit. I’ve seen history repeat itself time and again, and what I see is that when a person brushes herself off and decides to go back to a fat loss plan, she often follows the same process all over again. Same diet, same restrictions, same process, etc., but this time she hopes to stick with it.

Big mistake.

When something isn’t working, you have to find a different approach. Here’s what I find trips people up:

–       They try to be overly restrictive and think they’ll be on a perfect plan seven days a week.

–       They follow a meal plan that’s tolerable, not enjoyable.

–       They expect quick and unrealistic results such as trying to lose 5 pounds in a week. This means it’s a diet to them and not a lifestyle change.

–       If they go off the plan for even one meal, they believe they failed and might as well give up.

–       They don’t have goals.

–       They just can’t imagine themselves with the weight off. Their minds can’t even come close to visualizing it.

Let’s keep this simple. Here’s what I want you to do:

–       Set a goal for 30 days. Make it realistic. One pound a week is just fine.

–       Create a meal plan that you find enjoyable. Don’t worry about protein, carbohydrates, fats or even total calories….yet. Just write down each meal and snack and what time you expect to eat it. Keep it healthy, but choose foods that you enjoy.

–       Include one small treat each day. It might be a few chips with your lunch. A small amount of Godiva chocolate with one of your meals etc. Don’t shake your head no to this. You’ve tried everything else and nothing’s worked, so change the approach.

–       Once you have all the foods listed, use an online food log to determine the total calories along with protein, carbs and fats.

–       Consult with a professional, whether it’s a trainer or dietician. But find someone who can relate to what seems to screw you up all the time. Show him or her your meal plan, and describe what you’d like to eat. Ask them to tweak it but not make it intolerable.

–       Create a realistic exercise program. It doesn’t matter if it’s only 3 days of walking for 25 minutes. Start somewhere. And, just like with the meal plan, choose something you find enjoyable. And, if you can find a buddy to work out with, all the better. You’ll motivate each other.

This weight loss stuff isn’t easy. You can have a trainer screaming in your face, you can have every person telling you that you need to lose fat and get in shape, but until you decide to approach this realistically and for the long haul, nothing will work. So change your approach and focus on 30 days and the other tips I recommended. It will work.

You can do this.