Part 5 of a series on successful slimming.

Losing weight is totally personal—nobody else can choose what you eat or whether you exercise. Fortunately, that also means you're the one who sets the goals and decides what "success" means.

Even better, you decide what the rewards will be.

One mistake people often make is setting a too-lofty goal, so they're unhappy with anything less. Sound like you? They want to lose 20, 30 or even 80 pounds, and there's no in-between. Well, what if they lose 19, 29, or 79 pounds? That's still a huge success. Look at all the smaller steps that add up—every five pounds or every inch or every new size—and take credit for them all.

When it's time to reward yourself, what should you do? Get creative.

• Buy yourself something small—a CD or book
  
  
• Go out to see a movie, a museum or to shoot some pool
  
  
• Ladies—there's nothing like a new lipstick in a right-now color
  
  
• Put money in the new-clothes jar
  
  
• For bigger goals, get full-body massage or a weekend away
  
  
• Get a new camera, especially now that you're even happier with the way you look! 

Need inspiration? Watch episodes of Extreme Diabetes Makeover at Taking Control of Your Diabetes. 

And remember, don't get fixated on one "magic" number. Celebrate every step forward along the way.