by Tiffany Leigh Kent

Many of us know the temptation.

It starts out as an innocent drive down the street. Hunger pangs may not even be felt, but passing McDonald's, Hardees, Taco Bell or some other fast food chain seems to beckon the person to come a little closer.

Appetite has just won.

As if on auto pilot, the car instantly swerves into the next lane and then pulls into the drive-thru line.

After bingeing on super-sized fries, a large Coke, and the biggest hamburger on the menu, the throb of guilt then takes over. "Why do I keep doing this to myself?"

Over and over again, good intentions are brushed aside in favor of instant food gratification.

It is no secret. The American waistline is ever expanding. And those love handles and that beer belly only serve as an outward symbol of a losing battle.

It sounds out of control, but losing the present battle doesn't mean the entire war needs to be lost.

When it comes to weight loss or even weight maintenance, the first step toward success is simply setting reasonable goals and keeping them.

It sounds easy enough. But how it is conquered is a little more complicated.

"You have to hold yourself accountable," Keith Wingfield, sales manager at Xtreme Fitness in Lee's Summit, Mo. said. By setting simple, doable goals, the process of accountability is jump-started.

A person cannot expect to attain unrealistic goals. Instead of deciding to lose 15 pounds by the end of the month, set a simple 5-pound goal. This makes the possibility of success more reasonable. An example of a daily goal may relate to food choices or planned walks or visits to the gym.

By setting simple daily, weekly, monthly, and even annual goals, staying accountable becomes practical and realistic. It's then easier to get through bad days and charge ahead, not letting temporary fitness or nutritional blunders destroy a long-term goal.

When it comes to goal-setting, the primary process has to do with changes in the mind. The mind is where opposition and interference is bred. Excuses allow a person to ignore goals and allow past habits to rule their future.

"A lot of people make excuses about why they can't keep weight loss goals. They say they are too old, too fat, or are too busy to start taking charge of their weight issues. There will always be excuses. You just have to decide to do it," Bobby Smith, owner of Xtreme Fitness said.

"Just doing it," involves making a decision to be successful in new lifestyle goals. Making any changes is difficult because how a person thinks has to change before there can be a behavioral change.

At a deeper level, making lifestyle changes is complicated because of how people are socialized.

Because of this, Wingfield claims that committing to a new lifestyle change is the biggest step taken toward a smaller waistline. That is due to the battle that goes on in the mind, allowing prior habits to take over.

"We are socialized one way all of our lives. When it comes to making new food and exercise habits, it takes time and is very hard to make the necessary changes," he said.

That is due to the mindset people carry with them. "Everything is convenient in our society. Fast food is found at every corner. Because of easy access to it, it's easy to overindulge. So it's a case of mind over matter," Wingfield explained.

Patience and perseverance are necessary during the first few weeks of undergoing a new fitness goal. Forming new habits takes time.

Once the first step has been taken–setting realistic goals–the remaining steps become easier.

The future steps have to do with activities or new habits. Linked to this are certain requirements for a successful lifestyle change. There are three necessary steps or components of all successful weight loss plans. These should be considered when making fitness goals. Smith said weight training, cardiovascular exercise, and good nutrition are essential elements of a weight loss plan.

Other steps vary from person to person. For example, those extremely obese may need to visit their physician for diet and exercise recommendations before setting their goals. For those who have only a few pounds to lose or are trying to maintain present weight, a trip to a gym for a consultation with a personal trainer may prove helpful.

Regardless, balancing nutrition, weight training, and cardiovascular exercise should lead to the realization of healthy fitness goals.

Instead of deciding to lose weight by trying out a fad diet, Smith stresses eating nutritional meals and taking time to exercise at least three times a week. This is because diets do not work. Smith said that only a genuine lifestyle change will allow a person to see permanent long-term fitness results.

Without making those changes, which begin with a tiny daily goal to go for a walk or to cut back on fast food, the daily weight battles may continue. But with diligence and perseverance, the overall war really can be won.

Fitness experts like Smith and Winfield both promise that health, longevity, and a smaller waistline can be achieved. But realizing those results demands a decision. It requires the dedication to choose mind over matter. A choice has to be made to combat those tempting appetites during the next cruise past the local fast food restaurant.