ow many Sunday nights have you sat -- full from a weekend of over-indulging -- saying, "That's it. Tomorrow I'm starting my diet."? It's easy to commit on a full stomach, but the truth is that lasting weight loss takes patience, hard work, planning, and a whole lot of commitment. So how do you know if you're ready to take the plunge? The Early Show recently talked with nutritionist Samantha Heller and asked her the hard questions about preparing for weight loss. Some of her tips include:

• Be realistic about how motivated you are. If you find your motivation flagging, examine the reasons why.
• Create a specific plan about how you're going to lose the weight.
• Set small, achievable goals for yourself and don't be afraid to reward yourself when you reach them.
• Journal everything you eat and don't skip meals to save calories.
• Be kind to yourself whether you had a good day, or a bad one.

What about you -- are you ready to take the weight off?