Now that we’re a couple weeks past New Year’s Eve, you may be struggling with your resolution to lose weight. Certainly, you still want to reach your goal, but your mind doesn’t seem to be complying. All you can seem to think about is all of the foods you can’t or shouldn’t eat, making the whole losing weight process seem almost impossible. How do you get your head back into the weight loss game—just like it was prior to the start of the new year?

Let Go of Perfection

First, if you’re striving for a perfect meal plan with perfect workouts, of course you’re going to have a hard time. There is no such thing. Even if there was, how boring would it be to live your life like that? Instead of accepting nothing less than perfect, allow yourself some room to breathe. One cookie does not mean you have a bad diet, as long as you don’t let that cookie turn into a whole bag.

Lose the Word “Diet”

The word diet reeks of deprivation and restriction. So, if this is your focus with weight loss, you’re going to hate the process as much as you do the word. Losing weight isn’t about the foods that you need to cut out as much as it is about the foods that you need to put into your diet. When you get all of the fruits, veggies, proteins, and complex carbs that your body requires, you aren’t going to feel hungry for much else.

Make One Change at a Time

One of the worst things you can do for yourself mentally when it comes to weight loss is to try to completely overhaul your life all at one time. So, before you set out to make 20 changes at once, just commit to one and focus on that. Once you’ve made that a habit, then move to the next.

What tips and tricks do you use to get—and keep—your head in the weight loss game?