It's the oldest question in the book around holiday time: how can you avoid gaining weight at this time of year - or any other? And how do you keep it off once you do? Charles Cicciarella knows. He once weighed 380 pounds. Four years later, he's around 200 lbs. and he's managed to keep all that excess weight off - something only about five percent of all those on a diet manage to accomplish. How did he do it?

That's part of the secret to his success, which he regularly shares with visitors to his popular website Massive Meltdown, which has had 3 million hits since he decided to share his secrets. Among the questions he's often asked:

How do you deal with the cravings?

"I drink water," he chuckles. "Mind you, I mean, if I want a doughnut, I would have a doughnut but I just wouldn't have four of them."

Can you lose the weight with a diet alone?

"Absolutely not. Losing the weight is exercise as well as eating healthy."

"Are there special foods that can help you lose weight?"

"I tend to eat more proteins, lower carbs. I stay away from a lot of the bad fats."

Charles will answer your questions, too. Just click here. His answers may be weighty. But he hopes you won't be once he gets through.