The only thing some people may find harder than losing weight is keeping it off. Research shows that those who are held accountable by logging their weight are more likely to keep it off.

A study by Kaiser Permanente found that study participants who recorded their weight, diet and exercise regimen at least once a month maintained their weight loss over a two-year time period.

"Consistency and accountability are essential in any weight maintenance program. The unique part of this intervention was that it was available on the internet, whenever and wherever people wanted to use it," says study author and researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research Kristine Funk.

Health website WebMD notes that there are a variety of factors that lead to a person becoming overweight or obese, including genetics and environment. Even losing as little as 5 pounds can result in a person's blood pressure dropping.

People who maintain a healthy weight will likely face lower health insurance costs due to decreased risk of developing many weight-related conditions.