Weight loss is hard. That said, when you reach your goal, it feels as though you’ve done something enormous – and you have! You’ve looked your challenge in the eye, and you’ve shown it who’s boss. This is what makes it feel absolutely devastating when the weight comes back.

According to research, most people will regain 70 percent of the weight they’d lost. Moreover, they’ll do it within the two months that follow the day they reach their goal. The exception is among people who commit to keeping up their strategy over the long term to maintain their healthy weight.

How do you make sure you’re among those who will be successful over the long term? One of the best steps you can take is to learn the top reasons that others fail. That way, you can take precautions to protect yourself against falling victim to those same problems.

The following are some of the top reasons people regain the weight they’ve worked so hard to lose:

• • Their strategy is unsustainable – If you opt for a weight management strategy you’ll maintain only over the short term, then your results won’t continue over the long term. This is the reason so many people who follow strict low-carb, high-fat, or high protein diets lose the weight effectively only to see it coming back on again. These aren’t diets that can be kept up for life. Therefore, the results can’t be kept up, either.
  • Inconsistent exercising – If you’re not committed to working out on a regular basis, the odds are that you won’t do it. Your workouts are a very important part of stopping weight from climbing on. Even if you managed to lose weight without doing much in terms of exercise, it won’t stay gone unless you get active. Take your workouts seriously and plan them into your life in advance. If you’re having a hard time making them fit into your day, do workouts first thing in the morning. That way, you can get them done before the day has the opportunity to fill up and get in your way.
  • You obsess over calories – Calorie counting is a proven effective method of promoting weight loss. When you keep your calorie consumption within a certain limit – not too high and not too low – you’re more likely to lose weight. That said, it shouldn’t be your only focus. Calories in and calories out aren’t the only consideration. Remember that some calories – protein, for example – is more filling than other calories. Moreover, calories made from sugars react in your body differently than those made from fat. Calorie counting is only one component of a broader nutrition picture.