How to Start a Diet

5. Set realistic goals.
You've undoubtedly heard this a million times, but if your goals aren't attainable, you're only setting yourself up for failure. "If you set goals you can't reach, you'll become frustrated and will most likely quit," McKittrick says. If you need help setting these goals, talk with a registered dietitian. Just remember that if you're trying to lose weight, the safest, most effective goal is one to two pounds a week.

6. Plan to be active.
You'll have the most success if you pair dieting with physical activity. So develop a plan to gradually increase your activity levels. Figure out what activities you enjoy -- salsa dancing and gardening count! -- and then gradually ease into becoming more active. For instance, perhaps you plan to walk 10 minutes three times a week. After a few weeks, increase to 15 minutes. Then add a fourth day.

7. Take baby steps.
Rather than making changes at all once, space them out over the course of several weeks, and you'll have a better shot at adopting each change into your lifestyle. For instance, focus on eating two or three more servings of fruits and veggies a day during the first week. The next week, add another habit, like downsizing food portions or reducing your red meat consumption.

8. Focus on the positive.
It's easy to feel deprived when you start dieting. After all, you're giving up habits that have been with you for months, if not years. But rather than focusing on the negative, seek the positive. Look at this diet as a way to experiment with new recipes or foods you've never tried.

9. Expect to have setbacks.
All of us slip up at one point or another so don't beat yourself up. Instead, just nudge yourself back on track, knowing that slipping up is normal and one little mistake won't make you a failure.

Karen Asp is an Indiana-based freelance writer and certified personal trainer. She's the fitness columnist for Allure and a frequent contributor to Fitness, Prevention, Self, Shape, and Weight Watchers magazines.

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