1. Avoid rushing into the strictest diet you can find.

This is a common mistake. Many people, in desperation, decide to follow a super-strict diet and that usually leads to failure. You should not be rushing into diets that are going to be too strict for your needs. If you don't have any dieting experience and are not 100% sure you can stick with the diet, choose another one.

2. Avoid losing touch with reality.

You can't realistically expect things to happen over night. When choosing your goal, start small, but be prepared to go far. If you hear someone saying that he lost a large number of pounds in a short time, don't make it your goal to match his performance. Diet results are different from one person to another.

3. Avoid going to the gym every day.

Another common mistake is to use the excitement of the first days to hit the gym every day. This won't help you at all. Your body needs time to heal and expand the muscles after each work-out and going to the gym every day interferes with this natural process. A week of non-stop training could never offset ten or twenty years of couch potato lifestyle anyway.

4. Avoid getting tough on calories.

We all know that cutting down on calories is one of the foundations of all diets, but be careful about it. Cut down on too many calories and your body will start storing anything it possibly can. This is not a good way to lose weight.

5. Avoid skipping meals.

Some people think that skipping one or two meals could help them lose weight quicker. They don't understand that dieting is all about eating the right food and not starving yourself.

6. Avoid daily weight checks.

Everybody is eager to see the results of their efforts in the form of pounds lost, but you should not let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily changes in your weight will make you depressed and ready to give up your dieting. This is something you want to avoid at all costs.

7. Avoid letting emotions get the best of you.

Aside from the eagerness that drives people to check their weight every day, there are other emotions that influence dieting. If you know you're used to reaching out for ice-cream or snacks when you are bored, frustrated or angry, then you should deal with these issues and not allow them to come between you and your purpose.

8. Avoid refusing to get help.

Not everyone was born with iron will and nerves of steel. If you need advice or help, don't hesitate to ask it from your friends or from professionals. Please dont try to solve all your problems alone.

9. Avoid denying yourself your favourite foods.

Treats are a great way of raising your determination and willpower. Diets are methods of food control. They should not hold you hostage. So what, if you eat something you said you wouldn't once in a while, especially if it's one of your favorite foods? If these treats are not indulged in frequently, they won't make any difference in the long run.

10. Avoid relying on willpower alone.

Use your head too. If you need to know how much you actually eat, write down everything you are eating and go over the list with a fine-toothed comb for things that should not be there. Sometimes hunger creeps up on you and makes you eat things that you shouldn't be eating. If you stay honest with yourself and keep a clear head as you go, you'll be fine.