Perhaps to understand the enormity of the current problem we should take a look to discover how people got into this situation in the first place. Did the obesity of today lay hidden in the lifestyle of yesterday?

Before people woke up to the fact that their bathroom scales were shooting beyond a safe figure, were the scales in fact just gathering dust in a corner. To become this overweight takes a required effort; plenty of hours must be spent in front of the TV, eating incredible amounts of potato chips, nacho's, pizzas and all manner of snack foods. Washed down with gallons of carbonated drinks.

After consuming all this junk food the best way to help the pounds pile on is to limit exercise. Television is perfect, slows your metabolism quickly. If you must go out only park near to the store, at work ensure you have a desk job and always use the elevator. For your evening meal take your date to a suitable 'fast food' restaurant.

And there you have it, today's modern overweight person probably at this moment sitting in the doctor's waiting room complaining of chest pain.

Now roll forward to the 21st century everybody has looked in the mirror and seen the truth. Here is where the problems start, how do you reverse the above? It was all so easy to add the inches to the waistline but it takes so much longer to trim them off. If the weight arrived by overeating the wrong foods and lack of exercise surely you would assume eat correctly and take up a sport'  Unfortunately taking the weight off does not quite work out that easily.

During the time that your body was becoming adjusted to the extra weight gain, physical changes were also taking place. Arteries were thickening, making your heart and pulse rate quicken. Your immune system, your liver, even your brain was affected. Quite possibly because of low energy and lack of sleep this extra weight was beginning to make you feel quite ill.

Now starts the difficult process of discovering which diet programme will work for you. Everybody is different and what works for one does not always mean it will be suitable for you. This is partly the blame when you follow a friend's recommended plan and are disappointed by your lack of weight loss.

The other physiological problem is accepting that it takes a lot of time to reduce your weight. Most people expect to see miracle loses and when they do not get those results they skip too quickly to another weight loss programme. To be successful with your diet you must stay on the plan for a considerable time span and expect to see small and regular reductions. This in time will give you the body weight you desire.

Be realistic but write down the weight you would like to lose over the next three months, if you achieve this goal, give yourself a treat. Go shopping or a weekend away. Then set the next goal. Plan and look ahead, you can do it.