It might not be willpower holding you back from cutting the fat you so desperately want to lose. It may be your environment. Check out these eight big fat traps. Could they be what ails you?

Food, Food, Everywhere. Everywhere you turn, there's a food counter. Malls, gas stations, Target. My new Super Wal-Mart even has its own built-in McDonald's.

Bulk Buying. When we buy food in bulk, we eat twice as much in the first eight days. Only when quantities shrink to normal sizes do we slow our consumption.

Salting and Sweetening. Salt is often added to sweet products, and sugar to salty products. Science says this makes it harder to stop eating.

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As your online fitness trainer, I'm giving you homework for the week. No eating after 8:00 PM. Easy enough, right? Late-night snacking is the downfall of millions of people trying to lose weight, so let's all do it together. It may even be an issue for those who don't actually think it's an issue. So start tonight.

Make sure you have a satisfying dinner and then turn your attention elsewhere. Exercise, read, play games, pay bills ... whatever! Just don't chow. Step on the scale tomorrow morning to find out exactly what you weigh, and then step back on the scale a week from now. It'll be fun! It's a short-term test which may lead to long term results. If you lose significant weight this week, you'll know that late night snacking is an issue for you. Continue the late night snacking ban, and you'll continue to lose!

Of course, frequent challenging exercise along with eating healthy is the way to lose weight. Late-night snacking is a unique habit, though, which may be responsible for any extra pounds you're dragging around. Seven days. 8:00 PM. Give it a go, and fill us in on your success!