I hate dieting. I’ve tried every major one out there, from South Beach to Atkins to grapefruit, and the list goes on. But I always find that after just a few weeks I’m craving certain foods and once I decide to endulge, it’s easy to fall off the wagon completely. Am I just lacking discipline, Joe?

Well, since I don’t know you I don’t want to characterize you as someone who lacks discipline. Yes, staying on a diet requires discipline – sometimes a great deal of it. What’s more important though is that you don’t go on a diet, rather change your lifestyle.

Diets can help you lose a certain amount of weight in a specific period of time, sure. But you’re into this thing we call “life” for the long haul. Am I right? In that case, you need to figure out a strategy for the long term – one that works for you and you alone.

What you must do is plan small changes to the way you eat and your fitness regimen (or lack thereof) that on a day-to-day basis don’t feel like too much, but whose effects will be noticeable over the course of six months or a year or your life. It could be something so simple as witching your breakfast from a doughnut and latte in the morning to a half cup of oatmeal, two eggs and a black coffee, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator up to your office.

Any diet you choose to try next will serve as icing on the cake. Just make sure not to eat too much of that cake.