"Your readiness to lose weight, once and for all, is crucial, says Fletcher. For her books, she has interviewed 20 people who lost 100 or more pounds. In general, the more ready they were -- with few distractions or excess stress in other areas of life -- the better they did.

How do you assess your readiness? Fletcher suggests asking yourself these questions: "Is my financial situation reasonably stable?" "Is my job and my spouse's job likely to stay the same [for the foreseeable future]?" "Do I have the time to devote to weight control?" "Are my relationships stable?"

That's not to say if life isn't perfect you shouldn't still embark on a weight loss program, she says. But it is easier to focus on weight loss if you don't have multiple stresses elsewhere, she says.  {Emphasis added}

Of course, there is always the exception. "I had one person who said her life was in complete chaos when she began to lose weight," Fletcher tells WebMD. "She felt the weight was the one thing she could control. So there's no one-size fits all."

I am getting antsy .. I am ready .. let's get this show on the road.