You probably know that hundreds of different fad diets, weight-loss programs and outright scams promise quick and easy weight loss. But the foundation of every successful weight-loss program still remains a healthy, low-calorie diet combined with exercise. You must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits to lose significant weight and keep it off.

How do you make those permanent changes? Follow these six strategies.

1. Make a commitment

Permanent weight loss takes time and effort. It requires focus and a lifelong commitment. Make sure that you're ready to make permanent changes and that you do so for the right reasons.

No one else can make you lose weight. In fact, external pressure - often from people closest to you - may make matters worse. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself.

As you're planning new weight-related lifestyle changes, try to resolve any other problems in your life. It takes a lot of mental and physical energy to change your habits. So make sure you aren't distracted by other major life issues, such as marital or financial problems. Timing is key to success. Ask yourself if you're ready to take on the challenges of serious weight loss.

2. Get emotional support

Only you can help yourself lose weight by taking responsibility for your own behavior. But that doesn't mean that you have to do everything alone. Seek support when needed from your partner, family and friends.

Pick people who you know want only the best for you and who will encourage you. Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle.

3. Set a realistic goal

When you're considering what to expect from your new eating and exercise plan, be realistic. Healthy weight loss occurs slowly and steadily. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds （0.5 to 1 kilogram） a week. To do this, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a low-calorie diet and regular exercise.

Make your goals "process goals," such as exercising regularly, rather than "outcome goals," such as losing 50 pounds （23 kilograms）. Changing your process - your habits - is the key to weight loss. Make sure that your process goals are realistic, specific and measurable, for example, you'll walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

4. Enjoy healthier foods

Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean giving up taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation. One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods - fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.

5. Get active, stay active

Dieting alone can help you lose weight. Cutting 500 calories from your daily diet can help you lose about a pound a week: 3,500 calories equals 1 pound （0.5 kilogram） of fat. But add a 45- to 60-minute brisk walk four days a week, and you can double your rate of weight loss.

The goal of exercise for weight loss is to burn more calories, although exercise offers many other benefits as well. How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise - such as walking - for more than 30 minutes most days of the week.

Even though regularly scheduled aerobic exercise is best for losing fat, any extra movement helps burn calories. Lifestyle activities may be easier to fit into your day. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot.

6. Change your lifestyle

It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even several months. You have to include these behaviors in your lifestyle. To do that, you have to change the behaviors that helped make you overweight in the first place. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine.

After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts. Simply admitting your own challenges won't get you past them entirely. But it helps in planning how you'll deal with them and whether you're going to succeed in losing weight once and for all.

You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once, but stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it.

你也许知道几百种不同的流行的节食法，各种各样的减肥计划或者一看就知道是骗人的所谓能够快速且简单减肥的承诺。但是每一个成功减肥的例子的基础都是健康，低卡路里的饮食和运动相结合。为减掉看得到的重量且保持下去，你必须对你的生活方式和饮食习惯做出永久的改变。

你需要如何做出这些改变呢？请遵循以下六个方法。

1.做一个承诺

永久的减肥需要时间和努力，这要求你必须投入且做出一生的承诺。现在，确定你已经准备好要做出这样永久的改变而且你是为了一个正确的原因才这样做的。

别人不能帮你减肥，事实上，外部压力--常常来自与你亲近的人--可能会把事情弄得更糟。你必须自己来开始对饮食和锻炼做出改变。

因为你正在计划对生活方式进行改变，试着先解决你生活中的其他问题。因为你需要很多的精力来改变你的生活习惯，所以要确保你不被其他的重要生活问题打扰，比如婚姻或者经济问题。时机是成功的关键，问问你自己是否已经做好准备要抓住这个重要的减肥时机。

2.寻求情感上的支持

只有对自己的行为负责你才能帮助自己减肥，但是这并不意味着你什么事都要自己一个人来做，在你需要地时候可以向你的伙伴，家人和朋友寻求支持。

选择那些最合适你和会鼓励你的人。最好是，会倾听你的焦虑和感受，会花时间与你一起锻炼，能与你一同分享那些在重塑你健康生活方式的过程中最重要的事情的人。

3.设定一个实际可行的目标

在你想象你依照你新的饮食方式和锻炼计划所能达到的效果时，请实际一点，健康的减肥是缓慢且稳定的发生的。要达到一周减掉1到2磅（0.5到1公斤）的效果，你需要通过低卡路里的饮食和规律的锻炼，除去你每天的正常消耗外，再燃烧掉500到1000卡路里。

把你的目标定为过程目标，比如经常运动，而不是结果目标，例如减去50磅（23公斤）.改变你的过程--你的生活习惯--就是你减肥的关键。确保你的过程目标是实际可行的，具体的和可测的，举个例子，每周五天，每天三十分钟的步行。

4 .享受健康食物

采用一种新的，有助减肥的饮食方式必须包括降低你的卡路里总摄入量。但是减少卡路里并不意味着要放弃美味，满意度或者简单的烹调方法。一种可以降低你卡路里摄入量的方法是吃更多的种植出的植物--水果，蔬菜和所有的谷物。努力尝试更多的食物种类来帮你在达到你的目标的同时，又不用放弃美味或者营养。

5.积极主动，保持活力

单靠节食可以帮你减肥。从你每日的饮食中减少500卡路里可以帮助你每周减掉一磅的体重：3500卡路里等于1磅（0.5公斤）的肥肉。但是配合一周四天，每天45到60分钟的散步可以使你的减肥咨询翻倍。

运动减肥的目地是燃料掉更多的卡路里，尽管运动给你的好处比这多得多。燃烧掉的卡路里的多少取决于你运动的频率，持续时间和剧烈程度。一个最好的减去身上肥肉的方法是稳定的有氧运动--比如走路--一周内大多数天数都要超过30分钟。

虽然规律的有计划的有氧运动对于减肥来说是最好的，但是任何额外的运动也可以帮助燃烧卡路里。生活中的运动可以更容易融入你的日常生活，仔细想想每一天中有那些方法是可以增加你的身体动力的。比如说，在楼梯上上上下下，而不是使用电梯，或者把车停得离目的地远一点。

6.改变你的生活方式

吃健康的食物和锻炼仅仅几周或甚至几个月是不够的，你必须在你的生活方式中包括这些。为了达到目的，你首先必须改变那些会使你变胖的行为。生活方式的改变首先是正视你的饮食习惯和日常工作。

在审视完你对自己减肥目标的挑战后，试着想出一个方法来逐渐改变那些破坏你过去努力减肥的习惯或观念。仅仅是简单的承认来自你自身的挑战是不会帮你全部战胜它们的。但是它可以帮助你计划你要如何解决它们和你是否正在走向永久减肥成功之路。

你可以会是时不时经历一些挫折，相比于完全放弃，不妨从每二天起重新来过。记住你在尝试着改变自己的生活。它不会马上就尽如人意，但坚持你健康的生活方式，结果会证明这些努力是完全值得的。