Are you looking for a way to burn fat? I know, because I've been there. There is nothing like stepping on that scale and having a big number stare back at you.

A former athlete, I had never been overweight. I was once (in my 20's) 135 and fit. I could run all day and not get tired; I ate whatever I wanted and never gained weight. As a child, I was the skinniest kid in my class, if not the school. I can remember desperately trying to put on weight (gasp!). To my chagrin, it never happened.

Aren't you sick and tired of being overweight? Better still, aren't you sick of trying diet after diet with nothing to show for it? Tried everything that you know how to burn fat? Well, here are 5 ways to get the weight off. No lies here..just the honest truth about what works to burn fat:

1. Cut out the sugar. If you are eating lots of sugar, you are sabotaging yourself. You will never burn fat if you keep eating sugar. Sugar comes in many forms, and in foods that you would never even suspect contain sugar. That diet bar/diet soda/flavored water you're having right now? SUGAR. Stop it.

2. Fried foods. Mom always said they were no good. They still aren't. Bake, broil, steam your food. Until you get the weight off, fried foods are a no-no. If you're serious and you want to burn fat, then stay away from french fries and anything else fried..

3. Exercise. No way around this one. It's not good enough to diet. Diet alone can only get you so far. To really lose weight and burn fat, you need to move, and move hard. Sweat. Don't think that you can just diet, burn fat and look good. You will be skinny and SOFT. If you're serious about losing weight, you have to exercise. Sorry, but that's the truth.

4. Water. If you're drinking something, it should be water. Alcohol dehydrates you. Most other drinks have sugar (a diet no-no). Water will help your body burn fat. Plus, it makes your skin look better! (Put down that juice - it's loaded with sugar!)

5. Weight Train. Sorry girls, that's the bad news. It's hard and it works. It will burn fat more than just aerobics. If you are not weight training, when you do lose the weight, you will not look good. Trust me on this. You need at least some muscle on your body.

So, that's what really works to burn fat. The above methods are not a magic pill to burn fat. They are not easy. You will not lose weight overnight, but the weight will come off steadily and you will look and feel good again. All you have to do is stick with it and find people that will support you.