For those of us who are chronically overweight, I'm come to the conclusion that diets don't last. I've tried most of them. I have strong will power and still, invariably, I gain back most -- if not all -- of what I lose.

The only real success that I've had in keeping weight off for an extended period has come from feeling better about myself and my life first; then weight loss has come much, much more naturally.

I believe all deprivation diets are well-intended, but useless. Those of us who are overweight know how to lose pounds -- eat less, exercise more. But we gain a great deal of comfort and satisfaction from eating, and no deprivation diet focuses on replacing those benefits of being overweight.

I've launched a new website, No Diet - Weight Loss!!, for those of us who are sick and tired of deprivation diets. I am here (and there) to encourage those seeking to shed pounds to first explore what benefits eating brings to you -- then to think about how to achieve those same benefits through other means.