Losing weight is one of the hardest thing anyone encounters. It's of course, not always fun, but that doesn't mean tossing the scale out the window and giving up before you've begun is the way to go. The most important thing and often the weight loss strategy that's overlooked is setting actual goals that are achievable. This means, making smaller goals versus a big scary goal weight that seems so far in the future you can't even imagine it. Because it's a far-stretching goal, it's not part of your reality. Setting small goals and figure out what you want to do to get there. 

Stop picturing what you're going to look like a year from now, you'll get there. Start focusing on how better you'll feel in the next few weeks if you limit refined sugars and carbs in your diet. There you go, step 1. 

1. Think short-term: Don't get bogged down by the numbers (10,30,50,100 lbs!) Figure out where you want to be next week, not two years. For those who do have a long road ahead, create a mini goal of losing 5-10 percent of your body weight first. Setting short-term milestones and building on them helps keep you focused on your progress, not how far you still have to go. It's not all about losing, think about what you will gain by losing the weight. Happier daily life, better self-confidence, longer life and more energy. 

2. Find your diet strategy: You need a game plan for what you eat. Weight loss needs to begin with dietary changes. Hopping on the treadmill won't compensate for a diet full of processed foods. Commit to making small changes like limiting your alcohol content, refined sugars and fatty meats. Address the weak spots in your diet. If you overeat in the mid afternoon, try to fight that by having a fulfilling lunch and have healthy snacks on hand like a handful of almonds. 

3. Focus on fitness: Exercise won't get you to your goal weight alone, setting real exercise goals along the way will most definitely help the cause and keep your motivated. But change it up. Doing the same workout for months on end is going to make your body plateau. Try new things such as Zumba or walking or even training for a 5k. Fitness makes you feel more committed to leading a healthy lifestyle. 

4. Don't expect massive weight loss every week: Losing 7-10 pounds is not going to happen every week. 

5. Track your success: Small wins and big wins matter to keep you going. If an office birthday party had a big birthday cake and you resisted, celebrate it with a walk outside at night and even a phone call to a friend or family member to talk through it.