You already know that exercise, proper diet and rest are the major players in any fat loss program. They are the cornerstones, so to speak, in your quest for a healthier figure. Without this triumvirate, you can't expect to succeed.

But for you to exercise regularly, consume the healthy kinds of food and get adequate rest, you also need to work on your behavior. The road to losing weight isn't a walk-in-the-park and if it took a carefree you to gain those extra pounds, you are going to have to adopt certain attitudes if you want to go from flab to fab.

Confidence, motivation, discipline, flexibility and consistency are the traits necessary to make you triumph in any chosen fitness program.

Confidence

One of the first things to erode when we start to gain pounds is self-confidence. As soon as we start running out of pants that fit in our closet and can't find any size tailored for our bulging midsections in the ready-to-wear section of the department store, self-esteem takes a nosedive. And it can be difficult to get it back. Even if friends still love us for who we are, we begin to alienate ourselves from them and start our love affair with the couch and TV.

When you resolve to do something about the fact that you can't see past your tummy or the realization that the bathroom scale literally groans under your weight, you've got to have the confidence to tell yourself that you can do it! Losing weight is tough, but you've got to be confident enough to face the challenges head-on. If you can't tell yourself "I can lose weight and I will!" there is no way you can, no matter how much you try.

Motivation

What makes you want to lose fat? Health is a pretty good motivation, as those who are overweight needlessly bring themselves closer to the grave with all sorts of obesity-related health risks that include, among others, hypertension and diabetes. Others find that fitting in a swimsuit for the summer is a good enough reason for fat loss. Still others motivate themselves to go on a workout program to simply look beautiful. Find a good motivation and let that inspire you.

Discipline

You got to the 300-pound mark because of a sheer lack of self-discipline. If you want to shed that excess flab in your belly, thighs and arms, you are going to have to start going hard on yourself-- at least where your fitness program is concerned.

Stick to your exercise schedule as if your life depended on it (on hindsight, it does). Don't give in to the temptation of buying that yummy-looking box of sweets displayed on the bakeshop window. Treat your 8-hour nightly sleep sacred. Once you begin to develop the habit of restraint and control, you'll definitely reap the results of your labors with a fitter, more shapely figure and overall feelings of health and wellness.

Flexibility

You can be disciplined without being too rigid. If you can't workout in your scheduled time for one reason or another, do it in the afternoon or evening. If you feel the need to eat a burger once in a while, do so, but it's better to prepare it yourself. Allowing yourself some leeway contributes to the success of your fat loss regimen.

Consistency

This simply means observing all the four traits above regularly and with your fat loss goal in mind. Now that you know what traits to have, it's time to shape up!