Thinking about making weight loss a part of your New Year’s resolutions? Tired of losing a few pounds, only to gain it all back again the moment you stop? Stop dieting. Most diet crazes that make the headlines are just fads; they won’t impact your weight for the long term.

Ready to lose weight and keep it off for good? Try these.

Skip big changes and go for the little ones

Most diets have you change every aspect of your life overnight. You’ve been eating your way for months, years. Then overnight, you eliminate all kinds of foods for a sweeping change. No carbs. No sugar. No “fill in the blank”.

It’ll never stick. Eventually, you’ll miss a lot of things from your former eating patterns. And you’ll quickly revert back to old habits. Instead, try one small change at a time. For example, skip the candy bar as a snack, and bring a piece of fruit instead. Or stop buying bread to go along with your meal. Then add another change when the first is in your daily routine.

Focus on your drinking patterns

What do you drink throughout the day? What goes in can have a big impact on how much weight you lose or gain. If alcohol is a part of your lifestyle, going out with friends can lose its appeal if you no longer drink. But you don’t have to give it up; switch to something with less caloric value. Drink a wine spritzer instead of a fruity drink. Alternate with water and a lemon or lime. You should also pay attention to how many sodas or energy drinks you consume. Even supposed low calorie drinks can wreak havoc on your health. Trade them in for hot or iced tea, or water whenever possible. Studies show that drinking water before eating can help you feel fuller, and allow you to take in less calories at each meal.

Keep it real

The closer you can get to real food with each meal, the better your health will be. This means when you shop, stick to the outside edges of the market, and avoid the inside aisles where food is most likely processed and contains both chemicals and calories. Read labels; the less ingredients, the closer it is to real food.

Make sure goals are realistic

Losing ten pounds in one day isn’t realistic. According to the Center for Disease Control, the healthy rate of losing weight is only a pound or two per week. How much do you want to lose and how long do you have to do it? The easiest way to get frustrated is to blow your goals right from the start. But if you paint a more doable picture, you’ll have more motivation to continue what you start.