Every successful attempt to lose weight begins with a carefully crafted weight loss plan. Planning ahead is the best way to determine how likely you are to succeed.

A structured weight loss plan is one of the best ways to make certain of success in your weight loss efforts. The details of the plan can vary according to the individual and the personality type, but a plan is probably the most significant component of any successful diet. Don't just wake up one morning and decide to lose one hundred pounds or even five pounds and expect to be totally successful. You may be one of the few to lose a few pounds and not regain it, but you would be in the minority. Instead, think logically and rationally about what you are eating and what you should be eating. Then set about implementing changes into your eating habits over time.

See Your Doctor

The first step in your new weight loss plan should be to schedule a visit with your family physician. The medical professional is in a position to either counsel you directly or to refer you to another specialist in dealing with obesity, nutrition and dietary practices. The purpose of medical advice is to provide you with information about the safety and effectiveness of various dietary formulas. Visiting with the physician doesn't mean that you should blindly accept whatever you are told. Use the advice of the doctor as a starting point for doing your own research into the diets you are considering.

Do Your Research

Before settling on a particular weight loss plan, you should be familiar with what is expected of you and what benchmarks you can expect while following the plan. For instance, if you only need to lose a few pounds and want to get them off in a hurry, don't pick a diet plan that relies on long term lifestyle changes to accomplish the weight loss. If you hate counting calories, don't pick a diet that measures portions and has strict guidelines to follow.

Set Goals

Your weight loss plan should contain reasonable and doable recognition of your current weight, your desired rate of loss, the deadlines you need to meet and your target rate. Be realistic about how rapidly you can lose weight. For example, a 40 pound loss in two weeks is highly unlikely, no matter what diet you follow. While setting your goals, consider lifestyle goals as well as weight loss goals. The weight goals you set and the lifestyle changes you want to implement should work in tandem to help you reach your desired level of weight and fitness.

Choose a Low Stress Time

You should implement your weight loss plan at a time when you can focus on making changes without adding extra stress to your lifestyle. For example, if you are setting off on a two week cruise next week, don't start a diet tomorrow. Many people start diets as part of a New Year's resolution, but you can make small changes in your lifestyle at any time. January makes a good time to start a diet plan that has a goal of looking good in a swim suit by summer.