Have you ever heard people say that the end of the day on Friday is their favorite time of the week? They all have the same reason -- "it's the furthest away from Monday morning". I'll be the first to say that I feel the same way.

Recent reports have shown that with each passing business day, workers become less and less productive. Monday and Tuesday have consistently ranked as the most productive but by the time Wednesday arrives, the downhill slide has begun. By Thursday, people are gearing up for the weekend, and Friday is the least productive and most-requested day off.

And those who call in well ... I mean sick on Friday, now run the risk that their coworkers will think that they got away with an extended weekend. Everyone who is keeping track of this probable offense watches the suspected "day stealer" like a hawk (well at least during the first few hours of Monday morning anyway) waiting to see if that wicked smirk comes across his/her guilty face. Nevertheless, as each Friday nears, most people want to get their weekends off to a good start ... and the sooner, the better. I call this phenomenon "The TGIF Effect" and it sabotages even the best-laid weight loss plans, as the following example illustrates.

I once worked at an office where a bunch of us guys routinely went out to lunch on Friday. Understand that when a group of men go out to lunch and there won't be any females around to impress or cramp their style, it can only mean one thing ... they are going to pig out.

What better way to start off the weekend?

The kicker is that, because of "The TGIF Effect", some of those same guys return from the Friday lunch extravaganza to bat cleanup for the office party. Their mouths are quickly stuffed full of those yummy homemade cookies that someone else brought in. They feel justified because they've worked hard all week and deserve to satisfy that sweet tooth (besides its not their fault that someone else brought in the tempting "goody sabotage" ... but that's another article).

But my real heroes, I mean those who are enshrined in the "chow down hall of fame" were the ones that not only came back from lunch and had a napkin-full of cookies, but also had the audacity to load up a plate full of food as if they had missed lunch altogether.

With the weekend now here and the feeling of entitlement for a hard week worked at its peak, we can now really reward ourselves. So why not kick back and eat to our heart's content.

Are you kidding me?

This is the way I used to live, yes me, a former athlete and fitness instructor overeating, overweight and blitzed with the feelings of entitlement and surrounded by good food.

The funny thing is that many Americans today go about their lives just as I did and have the nerve to ask themselves "Why cant I lose weight?."

If this article has caused you to chuckle and you have struggled with your weight, then I think you have answered this question for yourself.

Stop blaming others, stop blaming the fast food conspiracy, stop blaming coworkers and get disciplined to do better. Remember there are two types of pain: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Make a decision to never feel the pain of regret and get "The TGIF Effect" out of your life ... Forever!