I'm sure you've heard a friend or relative say that they lost weight on the "such-and-such diet" or the "so-and-so diet"... The positive element that all fad diets (and I really am not using this term in the pejorative sense) or themed diets have in common is structure.

No matter what the diet theme, the reason that it has a chance of being successful is that the dieter is following a strict set of parameters and carefully watching what they eat and when. Its not that grapefruit, or chocolate, or papaya, or chicken livers, or whatever is a true magic bullet, its that the dieter has a goal in mind, a plan in place and a structure to follow.

This is Weight Loss 101, soldiers, and were in for the battle of our lives! I am not suggesting that you participate in the next diet you hear about, in fact Ive never done so myself, either. I am however -- suggesting that you program yourself, in advance, to stop and make a self-evaluation the very next time you hear of one being mentioned by a friend, on television, or at the newsstand.

The self-evaluation should contain three simple points, and Im even going to provide an easy way for you to remember the three. Most of you have probably heard of satellite-driven Global Positioning Systems (GPS). They are handheld, car-mounted, and even built into cellular telephones in some cases. GPS systems work on a very simple principal called triangulation basically, if three satellites can see you, then your exact position can be measured. This GPS can be a lifesaver if you are lost, because it will tell you exactly where you are.

In the same way, the letters G-P-S can help those of us fighting the Battle of the Bulge to know where we need to be, where we are heading, and help us to get back on track if we get lost. In this case, however, the letters stand for Goals, Plans, and Structure.

Goals: Having a goal means that you have a reasonable weight loss goal in mind. It can be a target weight, a percentage of your current weight, or a number of pounds that you wish to lose. You should have a safe person who knows this figure and can keep you accountable.

Plans: Having a plan means that you have set forth a battle plan by which your reasonable goals (see above) will be met. The plan should be holistic. It needs to include not just eating habits, but also behaviors such as exercise, plans to handle stressful times, what to do when you are on the road or out of town, and accountability.

Structure: This aspect goes hand-in-hand with the goals and plans, but deals more with the consistency in which the plan takes you to your goals. John Steinbeck is famous for coining the phrase the best laid plans whether or not your plans are the best or the worst depends upon the structure in which they are framed.

So the next time you see a tabloid extolling the virtues of the Marshmallow Diet or your best friend tells you that she lost 15 pounds in two weeks on the Cranberry Diet, just smile and remember to stop and check your location using your own GPS!