3. Have a plan – and write it down too
Don't force your poor memory to keep track of everything you're supposed to be doing. Instead, come up with a plan to reach your weight-loss goals, put it on paper (real or virtual), and then follow it, tailoring when necessary.

Your plan should be based on your personal problem areas, not on what the latest fad diet says will work. If you always eat in front of the TV (and you wouldn't be the only one), find a solution – even if it means turning it off and reading a magazine instead. If you always mean to exercise right after work but end up going straight home instead, move your workout time. It may mean sitting down and thinking for a couple of hours, but you'll come up with a food and exercise plan that will set you up for success, not for failure. (Click here for a downloadable plan that will help you set small, realistic weekly goals.)

4. Enlist support
Never underestimate the lemming factor – we all like to do what our friends and family are doing. In fact, one study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 shows that you're more likely to be obese if the people in your social network are, too. So don't try to go it alone. Invite friends and family members to live healthier with you. Find exercise partners (or even join a team) or start a healthy-cooking potluck group. If you prefer to keep your goals private, online forums (such as those on CanadianLiving.com) are another great way to connect with other people.

5. Avoid quick fixes
Aside from the product testimonials, have you ever heard of someone who's lost a lot of weight fast from pills, powders or "secret plans" – and kept it off? Not only are there no magic diet tricks, diets themselves – even if they work in the short term – are a poor way to reach your long-term goals. Think about it: if your "normal" lifestyle made you gain 20 pounds over a couple of years, and your "diet" helped you lose those 20 pounds, what's going to stop you from gaining them back once you return to "normal"?

The only solution if you want to reach your weight-loss goals and maintain them is to change your concept of what's normal. Be realistic, be practical and know that by making healthy changes in your life, you'll live it in greater health and for longer.

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