5 Essential Components of a SUCCESSFUL Weight Loss Plan

1. Have the right goal.
In order for your brain to be in sync with your body, you need to clearly define what you are trying to accomplish. A goal such as “Lose weight” is rather vague, and it’s hard for your brain to latch onto. Once you set a specific goal such as “Weigh 140 lbs. by April 1,” then you can start using the appropriate mind/body techniques to get you to that place. It’s also a great idea to set goals that state what size you want to wear or what types of clothes you want to fit into.

2. Have the right mindset.
Permanent weight loss is not just a one-time event with a beginning and an end… like a diet. Being thin must become your natural way of thinking and living. Go into this year with the expectation and vision for what your life will be like when you reach your body goal. This will propel you into inspired attitudes and actions that will result in seemingly effortless weight loss! You can begin thinking and acting like a person who has already lost the weight RIGHT NOW. Use your goals to help you visualize that specifically.

More from YourTango: 10 Reasons to Love Your Body Just the Way It Is.

3. Have the right tools to cope with stress.
We all feel inspired when we first get started on any kind of weight loss program, but then real life happen:  stress at work, or with our kids, maybe even with friends or family members. Often that is when you fall back into your old patterns of finding your comfort foods to make you feel better. You temporarily check out from reality while eating that bag of chips or plate of cookies. But once the comfort food is gone, the stress is still there. And you feel worse about yourself, because you know that the emotional eating is making you gain weight.

4. Have the right techniques to manage cravings.
Don’t we all have certain foods that just call out our names from the pantry or fridge? Maybe it’s carb-laden foods, or chocolate, or potato chips. With diets, many of the foods you crave would be on the “bad” foods list. Your willpower may hold up for the short term, but eventually you will give in if you are deprived for too long. The good news is that when you have the right techniques, it is possible to enjoy the foods you crave in a new and balanced way. You will learn how to listen to your body and know what it truly needs.

5. Have the right support system in place.
This is the most crucial component of creating the body you want and really changing your ways of being around food. If you’ve been on the weight gain and diet roller coaster for any length of time, you realize how your weight affects almost every area of your life. To make these all important life changes, you will need someone who has already overcome these challenges to support you. Find a friend or mentor to support you and keep you accountable or even consider hiring a weight loss coach.  You need someone who has been down this road already successfully. Don't get support from an overweight person, find someone who inspires you and can motivate you when things get challenging.

More from YourTango: To Eat or Not to Eat? That is the Question

When you have these 5 Essential Components in place, you are in the place where you can lose the weight once and for all!