Don't let a slip-up in your eating and exercise plan get you down. Everyone experiences setbacks, and the more quickly you get back on track, the faster you will reach your long-term goals.

Step 1: Accept your mistakes.

Engaging in negative self-talk will only prolong your setback and increase feelings of guilt stalling your progress. Stop beating yourself up. Accept your mistake and vow to do better. Forget the past and focus on the present, which will keep you on track for a healthy future.

Step 2: Make a list of what went wrong.

There is a reason you aren't reaching your goals and it’s important to be honest with yourself to determine why. Have you been skimping on your water intake? Maybe your portion sizes have increased. Have you skipped a few workouts? Write down all the actions that could prohibit your progress.

Step 3: Revisit your current plan.

Once you know what is going wrong, revisit your current plan and determine how you can change it. Is leaving your workout for the end of the day making it more difficult to squeeze it in? Try some morning exercise for a while. Start measuring your food to get a handle on portion sizes. Limit desserts to specific days each week to avoid overdoing it.

Step 4: Record more frequently.

When you get a handle on healthy eating and exercising, it’s easy to slack in your commitment to record food intake and workouts. Waiting to record your data at the end of the day or doing so only a few days per week increases the chances that you will forget a snack or misjudge how hard you worked at the gym. Make time to record important nutrition and exercise information soon after the event for accurate reports that lead to positive changes.

Step 5: Set a deadline.

Once you determine the problem and make changes in your plan, set a deadline. If you still aren't seeing improvements, or you continue to come up short with nutrition and exercise after three to four weeks, you will need to take another look at your plan. Adopting healthy habits is a process. You may need to revise your plan several times before you find the perfect combination that works for you.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.