Ninety-five percent of those who lose weight will regain it within a few years, according to Harvard Health Reports. WOW. Not such a hopeful scenario for those about to commit to a weight-loss plan. Unless you consider the secret of those five percent who are successful. It all boils down to maintenance.

A diet won't last for the long-run unless a maintenance plan is implemented. This means cutting out the junk food for a few months and dropping those dreaded pounds won't truly work if you head right back to the cookie jar once the weight is gone. Practicing healthy habits once you shed the pounds, on the other hand, will work.

Research shows that people who maintain weight loss are those who dedicate themselves to healthy, low-calorie eating and regular physical activity. While diet and exercise plans differ greatly, most have theses commonalities: they involve strategies an individual likes, they satisfy a personal goal, and they are easy to stick with. Maybe neighborhood walks are your thing. Or tennis with a friend. Perhaps grabbing a piece of fruit to curb your cravings works well while someone else might read a book for distraction. It doesn't matter what action you take. Just take it. And drop your membership in the 95 percent club once and for all.