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ALBANY --
Spending less, quitting smoking and falling in love are among the top ten New Year's Resolutions according to a study performed by the University of Scranton but the resolution that tops the list is losing weight -- and experts say it's an attainable goal if you know how to approach it.

"Set small goals, don't start off with a big goal. Set up a small one, let's say you want to lose five pounds by the end of the month, do that and once you reach that one, set another one," said Reanna Vorse, the front desk manager at Tony’s Gym.

Licensed Professional Counselor Andy Martin says his best advice to clients looking to change their life is to pick one area to change and look at it as a lifestyle, not a new hobby.

"Lifestyle changes are going to be much more realistic than 'do something intensely for four weeks and then not be able to sustain that level of intensity and it falls off' and that's why so many resolutions seem to fail," said Martin.

Martin also says changing the way you live is one of the most difficult things someone can do so try not to overcomplicate it by setting goals that aren't realistic, like having a perfectly easy weight-loss journey.

"The trend overall for anything that improves over time is an up and down trend that gets better as you go so one of the main things to remember with any kind of resolution is you're going to have days that are setbacks. Don't bail."

If you've had a bad week and are struggling to hit the treadmill, having a gym buddy makes you less likely to make excuses and more likely to stay on track. As an employee at a local gym, Vorse says the most successful weight loss stories come from the people who work out because they want to, not because they have to.