1. Plan a disciplined low calorie day and an extended workout following any high calorie days.

2. Set goals that are aggressive but not too hard that they are out of reach. Reward yourself with each passing milestone. This can help you stay motivated and keep you moving in the right direction.

3. Keep a journal—A daily record of food intake and exercise reveals what you’re doing right.

4. If you keep a journal of the food you eat, you will never stray too far from your diet.

5. Positive or negative, self-talk really does work. Lift your spirits and improve motivation every single day by telling yourself that you can and will succeed.

6. Set SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Time-Bound. If you reach your goal in the specified time, you may decide to set a new goal. If you don't reach it, formulate a new SMART goal and time interval and start again.

7. It's not a lack of willpower that causes us to give up our goals, it's lack of desire. So find an incentive that gets you motivated. The better the incentive, the stronger your desire. And the stronger your desire, the easier it will be.