If you really want to lose weight you have to know something about nutrition.

It is not enough to follow the latest diet fad. You have to know what you are eating.

There are labels on most foods. The labels are a good place to start. They list the calories as well as protein, fat, and carbohydrate content of foods. You can use them to compare foods and make wise choices.

2. Make a plan.

You just take the basics you learned from reading your food labels and from your other reading, and figure out how you are going to use them. You make a simple plan that will fit with your life and your schedule.

It may be as simple as cooking some chicken breasts to have in your lunch for the week. You can cook once per week if that fits your schedule, and pack each meal in an airtight container, one for each day. Taking you lunch in a cooler will not only help you eat right, it will save a lot of money you would otherwise have to spend buying your lunch.

You have to make sure that good, nutritious and satisfying food is available when hunger strikes. It won't do you much good to know what you should be eating, only to look around when you get hungry and all you can find is potato chips and soda.

3. Keep your eye on your goal.

One way to set a goal is to use the “body mass index." The body mass index is simply a way of finding how much you should weigh based on how tall you are.

You are probably going to have some ups and downs; most people do. But don't let them throw you off.

So you lost 20 pounds and gained back 2, or 3, or 5. It happens. But you've still made progress. Don't give up.

Follow these steps, learn something about nutrition, make a plan, and stick to it. And you will finally have the body you always wanted!