When we consider weight loss, we often over-simplify it with thoughts such as, I can't have these, I've got to eat those. But losing weight successfully is a bit more involved than dividing food into groups of good and bad. Other factors - and better ways of thinking - are vital.

Here are 5 lifestyle tips to help you achieve your goal of a healthy and permanent weight loss.

1. Focus on health, not on size. Many people have achieved and maintained their weight loss goals by watching their overall health, rather than by watching the scale. The choices they make about food, rest, and recreation address every part of their physical well-being. The natural result includes the loss of unnecessary weight. Try changing your weight loss goals into healthy body goals. The process will be more fulfilling, and your weight loss will be more successful.

2. Exercise. (You knew this was coming.) Exercise may be the primary predictor of weight loss success. Burning calories is the key to reducing fat. The good news is that three 10-minute sessions a day are as effective as a single 30-minute session. You may find it easier to take a brisk 10-minute walk in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening than to carve out a half hour consistently every day. Weight training also aids in weight loss. Muscle tissue burns significant calories every day to maintain itself. Burning more calories means gaining less fat.

3. Keep a food diary. Tracking what you eat, how much, and when provides you with an accurate picture of your food intake. It highlights habits you might not have recognized and provides you with an exact count of those little intentional indulgences. It's also important to note why you ate. Emotional triggers such as stress, boredom and anger may cause you to eat for reasons other than to satisfy hunger. Dealing with these issues is essential to successful weight loss and overall health.

4. Join with others. Friends in a support group provide you with encouragement, inspiration, and accountability to assist you on your journey. You'll also benefit from being able to offer your own helping hand to others. Sharing your trials and successes provides you with a clear picture of your continued progress.

5. Take it slowly. Dramatic weight losses are almost always short-lived. Maintaining the radical adjustments they require is often impossible (not to mention unhealthy). In addition, most of the lost weight consists of water, glycogen and muscle - not fat. As a result, your body compensates by slowing your metabolism to burn less calories, and by storing more food in fat cells.

In short, these efforts are self-defeating. Instead, increase your exercise and decrease calories in reasonable, maintainable amounts. These healthy changes will help you lose weight slowly but efficiently, and help you keep it off for good.

Successful weight loss is more than just dividing up food. Positive lifestyle changes will help you achieve your goals, and keep them. Along the way, you'll discover a healthier and happier you.