By Janet Martin

Gym memberships usually increase during the month of January because everybody seems to want to start their year with a resolution to lose weight and become healthier. However, after a few visits to the gym, many people start to become less enthusiastic in their efforts to be buff because of minimal or lack of results when they look at the scale.

Here are some of the top weight-loss mistakes many of us commit:

Missing Breakfast

A lot of dieters miss breakfast because they think that by doing so, they are lowering their total calorie intake for the day. However, many nutrition experts, doctors and scientists agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You need this meal for energy and strength for the busy day ahead. Moreover, if you miss breakfast, you will end up consuming more unhealthy foods during the latter part of the day. If you want to shed some pounds, don't miss breakfast. Just make sure that the first meal of the day is not composed of sugar-rich and carbohydrate-laden foods. Eggs, apples, and a toast of whole grain bread are good breakfast fare.

Relying On Fad Diets

Eating only cabbage or tomato-based soup for a couple of weeks and chewing not lower than 20 sugar-free pieces of gum per day are just some of the fad diets you will find on the Net and get from well-meaning friends. These crash weight-loss plans may help you lose a few inches in your waist in the short-term, but may be detrimental to your health in the long run. Moreover, most of the pounds lost from these diet fads are usually gained immediately after stopping the program.