Losing weight ranks among the top of the list of New Year's resolutions but is also one of the most short-lived. In a straw poll of 289 office workers by a weight loss clinic, 67.1 percent of respondents or 194 said they failed to keep their New Year's resolutions to lose weight. Among them, 30 percent felt depressed after failing to lose weight, while 24.3 percent said they lost self-confidence.

For those who want to keep their resolutions, experts advise setting realistic targets and being flexible. In other words, rather than getting stressed when you fail to live up to strict plans, take small steps that can give you a sense of achievement. For example, rather than planning to exercise five days a week for two hours at a time, set the more realistic goal of exercising at least three times a week for half an hour.

Don't try to get too much done at once. Don't make more than three different plans, but make each one specific. Plans may be set flexibly, but you need to be strict in reviewing whether they have been accomplished. Be sure to prepare a checklist and put that list where it is easy to see. That way, you can check if your goals have been accomplished on a daily basis.

More important than accomplishing a distant goal is self-confidence. Most people believe that success comes only after all of their goals have been accomplished. That's why they give up completely when they succumb to even the smallest temptations. Experts say that is silly. Don't blame your weak resolve if you end up eating three slices of pizza one night. Don't give up simply because you slipped up once. Remember that most people make such mistakes. A positive attitude can help you go the extra mile.