When your emotions cause you to overeat, your life can seem out of control and the pounds continue spiraling upward. You may feel that you simply don't have the willpower to overcome the problem. Your self-esteem and self-confidence may have eroded to the point where you're withdrawing from those you love and you don't feel like going out to have fun.

Sometimes emotional overeating occurs because of certain "triggers" that make you crave certain foods (usually the ones that are loaded with high carbohydrates and sugar) and mindlessly binge on them until you can't eat another bite. Chronic overeating is an addiction just like the ones we're used to hearing about -- drugs, alcohol and even sex.

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Measuring your body fat percentage is a valuable tool to chart your progress on your quest to get six pack abs. Hopefully most people realize by now that abdominal exercises don't burn fat off your stomach. Abs are made in the kitchen, not just in the gym. No matter how much you work out, if you don't eat right and achieve a calorie deficit, your abs will remain covered in a layer of adipose.

When the realization hits you that you must reduce your body fat percentage to see your abs, one of the biggest questions that pops into your mind is, "how low do I have to get my body fat percentage to see my abs?" It's a tough question and the answer may be different for men than women.

Here's what I'd recommend:

  So it seems recent studies are suggesting that sitting too much could offset any benefits of exercise. More study needs to be done, but some scientists are proposing that every hour of sitting upped the rate of metabolic syndrome by 26%, while 30 minutes of exercise dropped the rate of metabolic syndrome by that much -- thereby canceling out the effect of the exercise.

In some ways, this doesn't surprise me at all. The human body isn't made for sitting at a desk, in front of a computer for hours on end. Yet that's what I do. And I bet you do, too. Now, it doesn't mean that you need to be jogging and lifting weights all day, but you need to avoid sitting for long periods of time during the day.

Here are some ways you can get up off your duff, at work and at home:

  In your quest to lose weight and get rid of your own unattractive belly fat, you may have a tendency to people watch and notice others who are overweight. Maybe it's because you can sympathize with how they're feeling and how they look -- tired!

Even the act of walking is a monumental effort, especially in the summer months of the year when the heat works to drain a body.

Sitting in your car at the grocery store, you can study people. Start paying attention to how many of the people in the crowd are overweight versus those who aren't. The numbers will shock you.

Don't even measure how many are just a little overweight, but count how many are very noticeably overweight. There will be men, women and some kids who are carrying excess belly fat. Some people will make fun of them, too.

  One way to save time during the week (and to stick to plan) is to prepare food ahead of time. I spent part of Sunday afternoon preparing (from left to right, top row to bottom): Spinach Chick Pea Curry, basmatic rice, cucumbers/carrots/hummus, pre-cut cheese pieces (30g) for snack, clementine/pineapple fruit salad (banana will be cut at eating time), 2 bowls filled with my scrambled egg fixings*, 1 bowl[...]

One great way to track your progress with your weight loss program is to take before and after photos. As much as you might hate the thought of getting your picture taken, the differences you will see can motivate you to even higher weight loss goals. And those "before" photos can be a huge wake-up call!

One great way to keep yourself on track when it comes to weight loss is to create a countdown calendar.

Counting down, instead of counting forward, will give you a greater sense of urgency -- and the daily reminder will push you into sticking to plan. It may take a bit of time to do, but it's definitely worth it in the long run. I'll guide you through it step-by-step to make it as easy as possible.

Once you're finished creating your countdown calendar, you're going to have a solid plan to help you reach your weight loss goals!

Put your hand up if the scale has ever gotten you down, if you've ever told yourself you're useless or stupid, or if you've ever eaten something just to make yourself feel better -- and then suffered through the guilt afterward. Wow, look at all those hands!

If you're like a lot of people, you've gotten into a rut while riding the weight loss bandwagon, forgetting that the big picture is a healthy body and a healthy mind.

It's time now to reinvent yourself! Not that there's anything wrong with you, of course. But it's time to stop plodding along the same route. It's time rediscover yourself and take on a whole new attitude!

Take FitWatch's "Reinvention of Me" Pledge - and take it as often as you need to!

It's not only your diet and exercise routine that helps you to lose weight. While your cardio program does burn a lot of calories, making other small changes to your lifestyle adds up to a big difference. Check out these little things that burn more calories:

When faced with the decision between delicious foods that aren't very good for you and healthy foods that don't taste good, many opt for the foods that taste good. All of the temptations around us can make you wonder whether you should really bother losing weight. It seems like a lot of trouble, but is it really worth it?

The answer is yes. There are a number of ways that losing weight can improve your life: