You've made it to the gym consistently for a few weeks. You kissed your sedentary lifestyle good-bye and were on the path to fitness.

But a project came up and you had to work late each night. Then you came down with a cold. And so on.

Now you're right back where you started: out of shape and discouraged. How can you motivate yourself to get back into a routine?

Creating a new habit
Experts believe it takes about six months to form a habit. After the first six months, the new behavior- such as daily exercise or quitting smoking - will be easier to do.

But getting through those first six months is the most difficult part. It's common to fall off the wagon, get disappointed and give up. With some careful planning, realistic goals and determination, you can make healthy changes last, despite the occasional relapse.

Making it stick
Follow these 10 tips to turn your lifestyle modifications into lasting habits:

1. Be realistic. Create a plan that works for your lifestyle. If you're not a morning person, saying you will wake up at 5:00 a.m. every day to hit the gym is not going to happen. Likewise, trying to lose 25 pounds in a month is not a healthy or realistic goal. Aim to lose one to two pounds each week for lasting results. Setting your standards too high will set you up for disappointment.

2. Take baby steps. Do not go cold turkey. If you're trying to cut out caffeine, start slowly. Switch from caffeinated coffee to half decaffeinated, half regular. Changes are sometimes easier to make if you modify behavior gradually instead of going "all or nothing."

3. Track your progress. Write your plan down and post it in a visible place, like on the refrigerator. Make sure it's detailed and specific. As you meet daily goals, check off a box or use some other kind of positive reinforcement. Seeing what you have accomplished is encouraging.

4. Make one change at a time. If you want to revamp your diet, start slowly. Do not remove soda, fast food and late night snacking from your diet all at once. Changes are often easier to make if they're small. Cut out soda first and once you're used to that, try to eliminate fast food.

5. Focus on the behavior. Saying you want to lose 50 pounds is a lofty, vague goal. Focus on the behavior you will do instead of the end result. For example, strive to ride your bike three times this week.

6. Reward yourself. Once you are doing your new behavior for a while, reward yourself for your success. If you have been eating healthier, have a few bites of dessert one night. Gone a few weeks without a cigarette? Treat yourself to a movie or a new book.

7. Be creative. Some days are harder than others. If you can't make your afternoon aerobics class because you have to take your daughter to soccer practice, make adjustments. Do jumping jacks or lunges while your child is on the field.

8. Get support. Share your goals with your friends, family and coworkers. If you're trying to stop smoking but regularly visit an office, friend's home or bar where others are smoking, it's going to be extremely challenging to quit. But if your friends know you're trying to quit, they may suggest meeting up at a smoke-free establishment.

Better yet, find a friend with the same goal as you. Then you can share tips and support one another throughout the process. If you have a workout buddy waiting for you to go on a morning jog, it will be hard to sleep in.

9. Have a plan to deal with your obstacles. You may have the best intention of avoiding the donuts offered at your morning meeting, but if you're hungry, you won't be able to turn them down. Instead, eat breakfast before the meeting or bring a healthy snack with you to resist temptation.

10. Anticipate setbacks.  Falling "off the wagon" from time to time is normal. Know that minor setbacks happen and it's not a reason to give up. Remember how far you've come. Don't dwell on your slip-up. Acknowledge it and start fresh as soon as you can.

Related Articles The Role of Exercise in Chronic Disease Variety: The Spice of Fitness Positive Thinking: The Key to Weight Loss? 7 Common Excuses for Avoiding Exercise Slow and Steady: How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off When You Quit Smoking: A Timeline to Better Health

External Sources American Council on Exercise. Healthy resolutions for the whole year. . Accessed June 23, 2009 American Psychological Association. Making lifestyle changes that last. . Accessed June 23, 2009 Kelly RB, Falvo DR. Patient education. In: Rakel RE. Rakel: Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. . Accessed June 23, 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overcoming barriers to physical activity. . Accessed June 23, 2009 Catenacci VA, Wyatt HR. America on the move. Medical Clinics of North America. 2007;91(6):1079-1089. . Accessed June 23, 2009

This article was reviewed and updated 08-01-2009.