The New England Journal of Medicine recently reported that caloric intake is the only thing that matters with dieting. Your body burns a certain amount of calories on a daily basis. If you consume more than you burn, you'll gain weight. If you consume less, you'll lose weight. It is that simple.

People are always looking for an "insta-solution" -- for weight loss, or to make them rich or to make them into an entrepreneur. And that's not the way it works with your wallet or with your waistline. You have to follow the fundamentals.

Clark lost 30 pounds over the last year by modifying what he eats. That means no fries, no snacks between meals and no dessert. Those changes dropped his calorie count below his burn rate, and he's dropped about 3 pounds each month.

Slow and steady as you go is the way to approach your finances as well. The consumer champ wants you to be the tortoise and build wealth incrementally over time. That means contributing a small amount of your income each pay period to a retirement-savings plan.