It’s january 2 and most of you are probably starting, or thinking about starting your next diet. Whether you have 5 pounds to lose or 50, why not make this the year that you adopt more permanent changes and don’t go for the quick fix. Here is the first of many suggestions to get you started in the right direction. 1. SET REALISTIC GOALS – This is critical to your success mentally. If you think you can lose 5 pounds a week for the next month because you’ve seen that and more on The Biggest Loser, think again. You may lose this much the first week – mainly due to water loss, but 1-2 pounds of real fat loss per week is both realistic and sustainable; you may even have to settle for 1/2 pound per week if you are older and less active. I also suggest that you have a clothing size goal which really indicates fat loss. Try on a pair of pants that are too small every week to track your progress in addition to, or instead of, the scale. And if you have alot of weight to lose, set smaller step wise target weights with the goal of losing 10% of your weight if possible. I like to think in 10 pound increments – every time a patient reaches a new decile (170 to 160, 200 to 190) I think there is a tremendous mental and physical victory. So focus on smaller changes over time and you’ll likely find big success! Stay tuned for more in the days to come.