Losing weight can be one of the most challenging experiences, whether you’re a first-timer, or a veteran. First, you have to adapt to a new diet (and by diet, I mean a meal plan), which can often lead to withdrawals from drive-thrus and Chinese takeout. Next, you have to incorporate physical activity into your weekly schedule—and let’s be honest, it’s easier to watch Netflix for two hours and conveniently lose track of the time you should have spent at the gym. Finally, you have to face stepping on the scale to weigh in—and unlike that guy who keeps calling for a second date—this is one number you can’t avoid.

Needless to say, the weight loss process can be very discouraging. I’ve been on my weight loss journey for what seems like my entire life. But for the past year, I have successfully lost more than 40 lbs. and still losing. I would like to attribute all of my success to my hard work in eating healthy and exercising, but to be honest, most of it was because I stayed motivated.

Motivation can be the difference between losing and gaining, so here are some helpful tips on how to stay motivated during the weight loss process.

Start small

Keeping your goals small and realistic is the best way to see results and keep momentum in your motivation. What sounds less stressful: “My goal is to lose 25 pounds,” or “My goal is to lose 5 pounds”? Your overall goal might be to lose 25 pounds, but try focusing on the smaller steps in between your “big” goal. Set a small, realistic goal that you will be able to achieve in a short amount of time. Wouldn’t it be nice to see results after just a week of starting your weight loss journey? By setting a goal that can easily be achieved, your confidence in yourself will increase and you will be motivated to continue your program in order to see more results.

Set a specific goal

Most people think that in order to be successful at losing weight, you have to commit to losing a specific amount of weight. While that may work for some, others will find it beneficial to set a goal that shows their progress in other ways. For example, try making it a goal to walk or run in your first 5k hosted by your local community for charity, or make it a goal to fit in a pair of jeans one size smaller than your current pant size. In addition to setting a specific goal weight, these goals will raise your motivation as you accomplish them along the way.

Give yourself a deadline and stick to it

Having an open-ended deadline for your goals can lead to procrastination. “The party I’m attending isn’t until sometime next month. I have plenty of time to go to the gym and fit into my dress!”—sound familiar? When setting mini-goals for yourself as described above, it’s important to set deadlines for those goals, too! This gives you something to work towards. For example, “By Friday, I will have logged five miles of walking.” Or, if you have made it a big goal to lose eight pounds in a month, make it a mini-goal of two pounds each week, and set a weekly deadline for yourself: “By the end of the week, I will have lost two pounds.” These deadlines will hold you accountable to your goals and motivate you to take little steps rather than huge leaps.

If you don’t meet it, don’t sweat it

If you don’t meet your goal weight by said date, don’t beat yourself up about it! Trust me. There were plenty of times I have stepped on the scale and didn’t reach the number I was working towards. Yes, it was a little discouraging at first, but then I realized that even if I weigh less than the last time I weighed in, even by .01 of a pound, I’m making progress. Other times I was preparing to weigh in, I knew the scale was going to show that I had gained weight. Instead of avoiding the scale that week, I faced the reality of the situation and used my results as fuel for the coming week. Accountability is part of the process and can serve as a motivating factor for anyone who wants to make up for “lost time.”

These are just a few examples of how you can stay motivated during the weight loss process. My journey will be different from yours, and yours will be different from others, but one thing we all have in common is that we are all trying to make a change in our lives for the better. If you have any suggestions or positive ways to stay motivated while trying to lose weight, please leave a comment below or use #planetbeach on your next Facebook, Twitter or Instagram post. We’d love to hear from you!