If you're looking to make a life-changing transformation, you can't do it on your own.

You need support.

Support from friends and family. Support from a knowledgeable coach who can provide you with a realistic plan and keep you on track. And most important, support from a community.

I can't tell you how many people have come to me with weight-loss goals, and told me, "I don't need coaching ... I already know what to do. I just need to do it."

Well, knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do. You know why? It yields the same result: little or no progress, frustration, disappointment, and a feeling of, "I'm not good enough to have the body and health that I deserve."

Lack of support and community is one of the biggest reasons people fail in their pursuit of a better body, better health or both. 

Here are a few tips for assembling the support network you need in order to be happier and healthier:

-- Involve your family members and close friends: If you honestly share your goals, your reason why ("I want to be healthy for my kids and set a better example ...") and the steps you're taking to achieve them with those closest to you, they'll be more likely to lend a hand. Who knows? They might be so inspired that they'll join you in your fitness and nutrition program.

-- Seek out a qualified coach: A successful coach or trainer should have a track record of getting sustainable results with clients like you, and should be able to easily identify a few steps and actions at a time that you can begin taking to move closer to your goal. A trainer who proposes an extreme exercise program and severely calorie-restricted diet is probably a master of short-term results that don't stick. If you're looking to change your body for a month, go for it. But if you're looking for a transformation that lasts a lifetime, go with a coach who plays the long game and believes in the process of habit change, accountability and support.

-- Be part of something: This could be a religious institution, a community group, a charity, or a fitness studio. They all have something in common: Like-minded people working together and supporting each other in the pursuit of similar goals. Research shows that couples or friends who begin an exercise program together get better results than individuals. Why? Support, accountability and being part of a community.

-- Celebrate small victories: Something that may seem insignificant at the time -- losing those first two pounds, getting your first chin-up or learning how to execute a deadlift with proper form -- are actually part of something massively important. These "small" things are the building blocks of real, lasting, life-changing transformation. Celebrate them.

When it comes to being a happier, healthier, better version of yourself, don't try to do it alone.