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 to keep 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 being honest with yourself about what went wrong is important. Have you been overindulging in alcohol? 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 until the end of the day making it harder to squeeze it in? Try some morning exercise for a while. Start measuring your food to get a handle on portion sizes. Limit desserts and alcohol 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 chance you will forget a snack or misjudge how hard you worked at the gym. Make time to record your food and exercise 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.