Starting a weight loss diet can be a very tough endeavor. You have to completely change the way you think and what you eat. The main thing to remember is that small changes over time are best, not drastic ones, because big changes can set you up for failure.

These are signs that you are "overdoing" it:

• You have any or all of these side effects: depression, fatigue, irritability, fainting, rashes, bloodshot eyes, reduced sex drive, dehydration, constipation, sinus problems. These are symptoms that your body is suffering from malnutrition and prolonged low calorie diets reduce blood glucose which causes your body to seek other sources - usually your lean muscle tissue.

• You feel hungry all of the time - meaning you are not consuming enough calories. Any diet plan has an initial adjustment period where you are getting used to eating smaller portions; however, if you are "starving" all of the time, this is counterproductive. This is because eventually you will be driven to eat something, usually a poor food choice, and you may not be able to stop yourself (binge eating).

Setting reasonable goals is important with any diet. Changing your way of thinking is equally important. Long term, you need to consider losing 1 - 2 pounds per week as a reasonable goal. No one puts on 30 pounds overnight, so there is no reason why it would be easily lost in just one month. Changing your eating habits for life is an important factor in weight loss. If you do all of the hard work associated with losing weight and then you return to your old eating habits, you will put all of the weight back on that you lost plus more.

This is why it is important to change the way that you think about food. Consuming portions that are smaller and eating meals more frequently are two of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off for life. Add to that a regular exercise regime and you have a winning combination. Resolve yourself to the fact that you cannot sit down in the evening in front of your television set and eat a giant bag of chips. This does not mean that you can never consume chips again if you truly enjoy them. It simply means that you have to be careful about how many chips or other empty calorie items you consume. Eating in moderation is the key.