1. Set Realistic Goals

It's not safe or even feasible to lose 100 pounds in a month, so that wouldn't be a realistic goal. If you want to keep your diet, it's going to have to be a reasonable diet with a realistic weight loss goal. If you're not sure how much weight you need to lose, or how long it should take, consult your doctor, or use the free tools at choosemyplate.gov.

2. Keep Track of Your Calories

This is absolutely elemental in keeping your diet. It's really just simple math: if you want to keep your diet, the calories you CONSUME must be fewer than the calories you BURN. The only way to know for sure how many calories you're consuming and burning is to keep track, and to make sure your calorie counts are accurate. I'd recommend a good calorie-counting app.

3. Get Support

If you're looking for ways to keep your diet, people who don't diet aren't going to be much help. On the other hand, people you know and respect who are just as dedicated to keeping a diet as you are would be fantastic support, and you can support them, too.

4. Ditch Nay-sayers

However, people who are negative about your dietary success are the very opposite of helpful, so it's time to tune them out. Who wants to hear about every failure or poor diet decision? Ditch the nay-sayers and move on.

5. Keep Your Goal in Mind

Quick, tell me why you're dieting... is it to fit into those skinny jeans from two years ago? To live long enough to see your great-grandchildren graduate from college? Because diabetes runs in your family and you're terrified of it? If you can't blurt out a very good reason to keep your diet, then you may need to re-think your goals, and find something that hits you in the gut.

6. Remember, You're an Example

Here's another reason to keep your diet, and not to allow yourself to fail: because you're an example, an inspiration, whether you want to be or not. If you have children, they're learning diet and exercise and healthy eating habits from you. They're also seeing you succeed at weight loss... so keep your diet!

7. Look at the Long-term Benefits

Keeping a diet isn't just about having a hot bikini body this summer. It's about a much lower risk of a range of diseases, from cancer to heart disease to diabetes and even Alzheimer's. If you're having a hard time looking at the short term, turn your attention to the long term for a while.

8. Find a Role Model

Love or loathe them, Jillian Micheals and Tony Horton are my diet and exercise heroes. If they're a little too intense for you, then look among your friends and favorite celebs for diet inspiration... you might be surprised to find out that you are actually someone's role model... how cool is that?

9. Hire a Pro

Don't be afraid to admit that you need a professional to help you keep your diet. Truly, that's what they're there for! If your workout isn't working, hire a personal trainer. If you're unsure of your diet, hire a nutritionist.

Any of these ways to keep your diet will help you achieve your weight loss goals, but do all of them together, and you're almost guaranteed to succeed! Which of these ways to keep a diet will you try? Or will you try more than one at a time? Please share!

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