It's February, time to check-in on those New Year's resolutions. If you resolved to lose weight, then chances are you're already seeing some positive benefits of your new routine. Or, maybe, you're not. Did you slip up after those first few determined weeks? Have you lost your way? If so, you're probably not alone and maybe, just maybe, you made one of these common weight loss mistakes:

• setting an unrealistic goal
• depriving yourself of every treat
• trying to look like someone you're not
• viewing your diet as a temporary thing
• focusing only on exercise, not on your diet
• avoiding exercise
• not writing things down

It's ok if you did. The beauty of long-term weight loss is that it's a marathon, not a sprint. You don't need a New Year to make a new plan that will help you reach your goals. Find out where you went wrong, then pick yourself up and begin again, this time being mindful of common pitfalls. Good luck!

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Have you set a new weight loss or fitness goal? Take some time to share that goal with a supportive person that you trust. Saying your goals out loud will make them feel more concrete, and sharing them with someone you know will help you to start building a support system to carry you through the difficult times. If you don't feel like you have anyone you can share your goals with, consider one of the many online networking sites that focus on health and fitness, like FitConnect, for instance.

Put your goals out there, give them air, and let them grow!

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Diet experts often say that having goals is crucial to successful weight loss. But what does having a goal really mean? It isn't just saying "I want to weigh X amount of pounds." Instead, it's having clear, concise, measurable goals that you can meet both immediately, in the short-term, and in the long-term as well.

This is perhaps one of the best articles on setting goals that I've seen this New Year, and also includes a helpful link for further goal setting tips. Having a vague, future goal when starting a weight loss plan may be ok for the first few days, but when the going gets tough, you need a plan to fall back on.

What are your goals for the New Year?

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