For many people, losing weight or exercising more is probably at or near the top of their to-do list. Maybe you recently signed up for a new membership at the gym or decided you are going to try the latest greatest diet and hope the fifteen pounds you loose will not creep back into your life anytime soon--at least not before summer ends.

Face the facts

Deep down inside you know that most diets fail. Sure, temporarily changing your eating habits, drastically reducing caloric intake, or eating foods associated with a weight loss program can melt the pounds away, but what happens when you stop the diet? Most likely those fifteen pounds that you lost will magically reappear on your hips and thighs just in time for the holiday or summer season.

For most men and women, weight gain is not a real issue until they hit their mid-thirties. Suddenly you have a “spare tire” around your middle or no longer fit into that size 8 dress hanging in your closet. You may be surprised to find that when you weigh in at the doctor’s office you are twenty pounds over your normal weight. Perhaps you hadn’t realized it, but your weight has been steadily creeping up for the past several years. When you look in the mirror, you may not see the “new” you simply because you are used to seeing someone thinner in the reflection.

What should you do?

Ignore those extra pounds and hope you don’t gain anymore? Go on a diet? Exercise more? By ignoring those extra pounds you may be setting yourself up for some avoidable medical conditions down the road, such as Type 2 diabetes. Dieting doesn’t really work in the long run. Increasing or starting an exercise program is a good strategy, but one that often fails for various reasons.

Have you thought about changing your eating habits? Studies regarding weight loss, nutrition and exercise indicate that most people who loose weight and keep it off have either modified or completely changed their eating habits, in addition to increasing their level of physical activity. Unfortunately this is not an easy path to take.

Try beating the odds using these 15 simple strategies designed to help you modify your eating habits gradually. Incorporating a single healthier eating habit into your lifestyle each week makes it easier for you to make a permanent adjustment. At the end of the 15 weeks, you may be pleasantly surprised at the result and shed some unwanted pounds, especially if you combine it with an exercise program such as walking.