I can promise you, if I can do this, you can too. It is not all that difficult. All you have to do is what’s already been proven to work.

First, remember there is ONLY ONE WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT: You have to create a calorie deficit. Everyone that says you don't have to do this, is only trying to sell you a useless shortcut.

If with you're with me so far, you’re way ahead of most people. Why? Because few people want the hear truth when it comes to the only way to lose weight. Weight loss is just like trying to learn any new skill, like picking up a new language. The slowest and most frustrating part in the very beginning. After that, it's easy.

To begin, take a very honest look at what you eat and how active you are. If you eat a few dozen donuts a day and drink several liters of soda - and refuse to stop doing that, you are attempting the nearly impossible.

You need to first identify, then change the HABITS that are causing you to gain weight over to NEW HABITS that cause you to lose it. Nothing else will work permanently. Unfortunately, your mind will often lie right to your face! It will often tell you to eat that bag of cookies.

So what's the best solution to making weight loss work?

You start with the mind. Weight loss is 99% mental. You need to learn how to change those bad habits over to good habits. You have to stop doing what doesn't work- and start doing what does.

And here's what does work:

1. Get honest about what works. You can't fix your weight gain habits if you refuse to see them.
2. Clean up your diet.
3. Get active.
4. Take action.

If you follow these four steps until they become your new habits, you will be able to choose your weight right down to the pound. I failed at permanent weight loss for 30 years. Then one day, I became determined to change my habits over to healthy ones. After I did that, the weight came off automatically.

So if I can do it after struggling with weight my entire adult life, and being 50 years old, and being non-athletic, you can too! The most important thing is to take an honest look at the habits that are causing weight gain, and one at a time (or all at once) address them- and don't give up until those new habits are part of your new life.

Mike Marsh is the author of New Body New Life.

Also of interest may be Obesity And Osteoarthritis: How Strong Is The Connection? and Weight Loss: Effective Treatment For Osteoarthritis?