We’ve all been there. Regardless of your race, age, socioeconomic position, everyone has tried to start a diet and/or workout regime at some point in their life. It’s never easy, but it is easy to resent the people who are good at it. You know, the people who like depriving themselves of happiness, fun and enjoyment. Most of us can only stick out the diet for a few months max, but these people somehow make a lifestyle out of it.

Most of us try to join this club of physically perfect weirdos for a few weeks, maybe a few months. But when we don’t see the desired effects taking place, we are quick to fall back into old habits. Our desire to be comfortable, happy and lazy overtakes our desire to look like that model in that billboard.

Here are the five stages of dieting, or as I like to call them the five steps to losing hope.

1. Excitement and enthusiasm

You’ve just started, and you’ll never be more motivated than you are right now. You’re full of so much positivity that nothing, absolutely nothing could lead you astray.

2. Cravings

You’re a few weeks in now, and you’re noticing that things are lacking from your diet like candy and ice cream and other snacks that are full of sugary happiness. But, you must not indulge in them, you are still very serious about this diet. Well, maybe one piece won’t hurt?

3. Sleepiness

Otherwise known as lack of motivation. Weeks of daily gym outings and meal prep have drained your energy, and you find yourself cutting corners with your meals and talking yourself into skipping some gym days. This is the beginning of the end.

4. Giving in to cravings

Unlike earlier on in the diet, now when you crave a sweet snack, you can no longer see in terms of portion sizes—really, what is a reasonable portion size? A whole pint is definitely one serving. It’ll melt or go bad if you don’t eat it all at once out of the carton.

5. Giving up

You haven’t seen any progress in the one or two months you’ve been strictly sticking to this diet, and you’re ready to give up. What more can you do? You’ve tried it all and nothing works. You might as well spend that time meal prepping and running to work on accepting your body the way it has chosen to be.

6. Try again

OK, I threw an extra stage in there, but really, it’s the most important one and one that we all need to be reminded of. As hard as it can be, dieting is kind of enjoyable. Even if you don’t see the effects you want immediately or even at all, you’ll notice other small changes, and those will be big enough to make you feel like something major has changed. You’ll suddenly start walking around feeling more confident in that tight shirt or short skirt that used to make you sweat nervously while tugging at the middle.

No matter how many times you fudge up and eat some fudge-y candy, just accept it and trudge on. Don’t let one piece of candy or cake deter you from your otherwise healthy day. In the grand scheme of things, it won’t disrupt things that much when you’re being careful to eat healthy, calculated meals for the rest of the day/week/month.