The title of this article is a double whammy! Number one, you must lose the weight. Number two, you must keep it off. Sound impossible, or at least extremely difficult when it comes to the world of getting fit and looking good? Well, if it were easy everyone would be doing it.

Or would they?

The fact of the matter is, losing weight is not complicated. You don’t have to be a genius to learn how to lose weight and keep it off. You only need to be consistent, making sure not to pump up your expectations too high from the beginning.

I don’t mean the expectation of losing weight. You should have every expectation that you will lose all of the weight you desire. The expectation I speak of is your time frame for looking slim and trim. Here’s a simple tip, just because somebody on TV lost 100 pounds in 12 weeks doesn’t mean you will.

In fact, you won’t, unless you get selected as the next contestant on The Biggest Loser. And even then you will probably fail, too. My point: don’t over estimate your own ability to begin (and stick to) a workout program if you’ve never seriously worked out before.

Note: If you had worked out before (consistently) and achieved great results, you probably wouldn’t be reading an article on how to lose weight and keep it off. You’d already know…

But this doesn’t mean you can’t lose maximum weight in a relatively quick time frame. It means you must start any program with a tempered set of weight loss expectations and a longer vision of what you will accomplish. Set long-term goals instead of short term goals.

If you desire to lose 20 pounds, you can do that in 6-8 weeks. If you desire to lose 30 pounds, you can expect to legitimate lose 30 pounds in 11-14 weeks.

Trying to get thin thighs in 30 days? Very difficult if those thighs are buried under 45 pounds of extra flab. Weight loss doesn’t happen overnight! Losing weight must be treated seriously, for your physical health and you mental well-being.

Your mental well being is the biggest variable. Never set your mind up to fail. Weight loss is tricky. It’s not difficult. But it takes a good level of continuous focus. If you maintain your focus by keeping your (mental) eye on the end results -thinner body, happier moments- you can lose real weight.

Once you lose the weight you will then have the tools to keep it off. Losing weight and keeping it off require the same activities: consistent daily work.