Every New Years we all make resolutions! They are different for everyone yet there's one resolution which makes it to almost everyone list and that is to lose weight. That's another myth we tell ourselves since this "new" resolution hardly lasts for three to four months, if for that long! Every year millions of people around the world try hard to lose weight, however only few succeed. Have you ever wondered why people find it so difficult to shed off those extra pounds? Why DO weight loss programs really fail?Why does it becomes difficult for people to keep the momentum going and lose weight? Or rather what YOU should not be do this year if you wish to lose weight and keep it off for all of 2011! Keep reading to know more.1.Secret - Shhh! There is No short cut to success!You need to get this clear in your mind- you need to work hard in order to lose weight, it won't happen overnight. Weight loss requires constant effort and commitment. It has to be a persistent effort. None of this "oh, this won't matter as you stuff french fries into your face for lunch because you are "starving."You shouldn't bother with all these short-cut options that keep popping up from everywhere. No pills or medications can help you to lose weight in long run and you'll just wind up hurting your organs permanently, i.e. your heart! Some fad diets may help you a bit, but that will only be short-lived. You will regain the lost weight as soon as you stop the diet. Think about it, can anyone survive their whole life by consuming only 200 calories every day? Get real. Ain't going to happen and it's silly to think otherwise. We just love to eat way more than that, right? It's practically not possible, so make sure you don't fall for such diet plans.2. Plan well in advanceIt is often said, that if you wish to succeed in life you must plan well in advance. It holds true for weight loss as well. If you truly want to change your life and lose weight, then make sure you are clear about your goals and what you wish to achieve. Weight loss plans fail when people just start randomly without having any target in mind. Breaking down your goal into small milestones would definitely help. Write them down and celebrate when you achieve them one by one. I will say again, WRITE them down! This will motivate you to work harder towards your final goal. Constant monitoring is must and in order to do that, you can subscribe to a reliable weight loss diary. This will help you to review your progress regularly and also make sure that you are on the right path. Don't cheat and write down everything you eat, good or bad. It will help you be accountable and show the truth about how much you are eating. You will be surprised!3. Importance of having good companionsThe weight loss plan becomes more effective in company of like-minded people. If you are doing this by yourself, you may feel de-motivated and tired after few days. So it's important to have people who can keep you motivated and on track. Pay attention to what your "fit" friends do and how they eat. There is a reason you are eyeing their skinny waists. It isn't all genetic blessing! It isn't because they pick the right clothes or the right color to wear. It's how they eat, what they eat and when they eat it. Pay close attention and "spy" to see where you need to change how you think about breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can DO this!4. Positive attitude makes the difference!For your weight loss plan to be successful, you need to change your surroundings. Start with your kitchen first and replace all the junk food with healthy and nutritious food. You are likely to indulge yourself in junk food til the time it's present in your kitchen, so it's better to clean it all out. A common misconception is that in order to lose weight you must give up on all the tasty food. This is so not true for you can lose weight even after eating out to your heart's content. You can find lots of tasty food which tastes as good as junk food but actually contains lesser calories. The important thing here is to find the right food, which keeps your taste buds happy and at the same time is good for your health too. Find something healthy to snack on when your stomach is so empty you can't think about anything else. Then, you will move on without gaining too many calories. Trail mix that is less than 4 mg. of fat is a great way to snack, provided it is mostly dried fruit and not full of chocolate candy or cereal!Also, choose a good place/park where you can go walking every morning. It should preferably be closer to your home. A small corner of your house may also be used for doing simple workouts every day.5. Choose an effective weight loss program that has lots of good testimonials of people who have actually used that program and what it did for their life. A good program is one that includes a well-balanced and nutritious diet plan with plenty of recipes to choose from. A regular workout regime should be an integral part of a good weight loss program. You don't have to be an expert in the weight room. Ask someone there to show you how to work the equipment. Allow yourself NO excuses. There are none when you really want to change your life by changing the way that you look! The aim should be to increase your body's metabolism(how fast your burn calories and fat) which can in turn help in the process of weight loss.Another great secret? When you workout for about thirty minutes and keep your heart rate pumping for that amount of time, even WHEN you leave the gym, your body is burning like a fat-burning machine for at least an hour later! To keep you wanting more, the program you choose should also constantly evaluate and monitor your progress. You want to see that after a week, you have lost this many inches or lost this many pounds, right? Then, you'll be so excited to do it again and change it up so you don't get bored. Buy a new DVD of the latest dance craze and dance your ugly belly fat off!So follow all the tips/steps mentioned above and it shouldn't be too tough for you to lose weight this New Year's.