Many people head into the new years with a resolution to lose weight. However, that is often easier said than done. Sticking to a diet and exercise plan can be tricky. And losing weight can be very difficult if you don't have those plans, to begin with. So, what follows are a few tips on how to create an exercise and diet plan as well as how to stick to those plans. 

Figure Out How Many Calories You Should Eat

You will not be able to lose weight if you do not know how many calories you need to consume each day. There are online calculators that you can use that take your height, weight, and activity level to give you a calorie number to set as a baseline. That number will represent the number of calories needed to maintain your weight. All you need to do is eat less than that number and you will lose weight. Be careful to not eat too few calories as you will not have the energy to exercise and the diet will be too hard to follow. Even cutting 100 calories a day (the amount in a can of soda) will result in losing weight. 

Create An Easy To Follow Menu

The best menu is the one that is the simplest. If you need to create new meals each night from scratch and are spending time reading recipes, then you're going to get frustrated. This frustration can lead to you breaking your diet and ordering junk food. So, what you need to do is find a simple menu and make meals ahead of time. Many people have success by cooking a week's worth of meals on the weekend and then storing them all in Tupperware. 

Develop a Cardio and Weight Resistance Program

Diet alone is not the magic bullet. In order to make progress in your health and weight loss goals, you will want to add cardio and weight training into your routine. Cardio is great because it not only burns calories, but it will make you more energized. And weight training is great because it will help build muscle and look leaner. 

Join An Exercise Class For Accountability 

Very few people like to exercise, so it is a good idea to join a fitness program where you will exercise in a class with other people. The social aspect and the schedule of the exercise class will create a sense of accountability. Once you have joined the class, you will be more likely to exercise than if you only hit the gym by yourself. The other people who are there and who expect you to be there with them is a motivating force to work out.