The building blocks of successful weight loss

I read this today on Maria's Last Diet so I decided to actually answer it:
List your reasons for wanting to lose weight – controlling high blood pressures; avoiding diabetes and any other illnesses that come with being an overweight black woman; having a healthy pregnancy and strong delivery; being able to run at least 3 miles per day without the extra weight on my body making it difficult; being an active mom with my children. Being able to hang with them from birth til we take them to their college dorm; in order to have energy! My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I want God to be able to use me and having a healthy body makes it much easier! Of course I want to continue to look great for my husband and I want to be able to wear smaller clothes than I currently have. I don’t wish to go back to the larger sizes ever again.
Determine how your life will be enhanced by being thinner – My health will be greatly enhanced by being thinner. I will also be able to hang in there when it comes to hiking, running, walking, swimming and doing all the other fun things I like to do.
Make the decision to shift your focus to your weight loss effort - OK
Choose a diet or weight loss plan that fits in with your lifestyle - OK
Don't keep it a secret - tell people close to you what you want to do – I have told people who are extremely close to me and sometimes someone who eats with me. It’s worked so far.
Make a list of any danger spots you anticipate – this weekend? We’re eating out a lot. I guess that writing everything I eat will continue to help me.
Create a detailed plan to get through these danger spots – Saving calories for dinner this weekend by writing my meal plan and making sure it makes to the journal.
Enlist the support of a least one trusted person – I gotta work on that…
Make sure to set smaller goals along the way – 1. write a plan for the weekend 2. register everything I eat in food journal
Reward yourself every time you reach a smaller goal – I haven’t been good to do that. I need to go back to an old list of rewards I have. Maybe that’s what’s wrong. I reach goals but there are NO reward for the smaller goals I meet. Thanks Maria’s Last Diet!
GOAL!!!!

* Train 3 times a week for the 5 K (done!);

* Write everything I eat on food journal;
* Get enough protein and dairy every day;
* Get a manicure and a pedicure;
* Go to the gym at least 3 times this week. (done!)