I was reading a post on a message board the other day from someone who ate after 6:00 p.m. and was feeling down because she had “cheated.” If you are on a diet plan in which you are hungry, you eat, and then you feel like a failure because you “cheated,” something is wrong.

Losing weight does not have to be about deprivation and/or starvation! I personally don’t like to feel hungry and so if I am hungry, I eat. If it’s after 6:00, so what? If you are feeling the pangs of hunger, your body is trying to tell you something - don’t ignore it!

I see so many people who are unsuccessful with diet after diet after diet and yet continue to torture themselves by trying to stick with the same unsuccessful weight loss program.

Losing weight is simple: burn more calories than you take in. It sounds easy, right? Well, it is! Losing weight requires both a healthy diet AND exercise. If you are eating healthy and exercising, the weight will come off - be patient. When I say “healthy diet,” it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to subscribe to one of the many weight loss programs out there. You can simply put into action eating better and healthier foods. For example, instead of eating chips, try snacking on some veggies and low-fat dip; instead of drinking soda, try some iced tea sweetened with Stevia. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. It’s really that easy.

I wish more people would understand that you don’t have to torture yourself to lose weight.