One of the best ways to lose weight, keep it off, and retain a healthy lifestyle is to follow a natural diet plan. Simply eliminating foods that have been mixed with preservatives, filled with chemical additives and fed antibiotics will give your body a chance to work as it was designed to, which will help you in your weight loss journey. Although the plan sounds simple enough, there are a few mistakes you'll want to avoid making in order to achieve long-term success. 

Avoid Sudden Changes

Trying to change your entire diet at once may sound like the right thing to do, but the plan will be harder to stick with than if you just make a few changes each week. For example, you may wish to start off the first week or two by swapping soda and sugary juice drinks with water and tea. Then once you get used to that, you can move on to the next week where you might start making your own salad dressing or ketchup from scratch. 

Don't Obsess With the Scale

Checking the scale every day can really deter you from reaching your ultimate goals because natural weight loss happens slowly. The best thing to do is check your overall progress about every other week. This should include your weight, but also your waist, thigh and arm measurements. An improvement in one of the categories will give you the motivation you need to continue living a healthier lifestyle. 

Don't Reward Yourself With Food

Many individuals who switch to a natural diet and start to lose weight will reward themselves with a favorite food, such as a slice of cheesecake. Unfortunately, this can lead to cravings for additional foods that will slowly pull you away from the progress you've been making. Instead, reward yourself with a non-food item. Perhaps there's a book you've been wanting to buy or a movie you've been dying to see. Keep those as a reward instead. 

Don't Follow the Natural Diet Plan Alone

Losing weight is hard and changing your lifestyle with a new diet plan is even harder. Trying to tackle this journey on your own without any support will most likely lead to failure. Instead, search for a friend or loved one who is willing to join you. If you can't find anyone who is interested, join an online group. Group members will offer advice on which recipes to try, how to overcome certain hurdles, and most importantly, they will give you the encouragement you need to keep going.