SUNDAY, Jan. 23, 2011 (HealthDay News) -- By this point, New Year's resolutions might be a dim memory -- which makes it a good time for fine-tuning, especially for those who resolved to lose weight.
Brittany Glassett, a registered dietitian with Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, suggests using what she calls the "SMART" system to create goals for yourself -- with "smart" being an acronym for goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
In the area of specificity, for example, don't just plan to "eat better." Make a specific goal, such as eating fast food three fewer times a month.
Write down your goals and focus on just one or two at a time to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Then keep working on those one or two goals until you've made a change, remembering that it takes about three weeks to adopt a new habit.
Glassett also suggests thinking about mini-goals. Instead of saying you'll lose 50 pounds, consider losing 5 pounds over the next four weeks.
And get support from family and friends: Let them know about your goals and tell them to hold you accountable.
Glassett also has created a list of what she calls six small changes that make a big difference:
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on what it takes to lose weight.