Most people already know how Oprah has focused her attention on weight loss. She has featured a variety of diet plans on her television show and her audience tends to eagerly grab at anything that makes it over the air waves, as long as it is a diet plan that is 'endorsed by Oprah'.

Early in 2006, Oprah introduced a different kind of diet. With this new diet, Oprah challenged the people living in the United States to get out of debt.

Oprah tends to take on difficult subjects, like weight loss. She knows from personal experience that losing weight is a very difficult process. She also knows that there are millions of people who could use some good advice about weight loss.

Like weight loss, Oprah also knows that there are millions who need to get out of debt. Although probably not from personal experience so much, but just by having her eyes open, she realized that there was a need for some help with debt.

There are a variety of ways to get out of debt. They include consolidation loans, debt negotiation, counseling and more.

Oprah enlisted the help of three financial experts to come up with the following 'debt diet'.

The Oprah Debt Diet - Phase 1

It should be noted that you are suppose to give yourself one month to complete the steps in phase one.

1: How much debt do you really have? It's time to get real about your debt. Do you know how much living with debt is costing you?

2: Track your spending and find extra money to pay down debt. Time to cut back on the extras. It is time to start paying you.

3: Learn to play the credit card game. Think $10 a day won't make a big difference in your debt? Think again!

4: Stop your spending. Making small changes can help in a big way. Use these tricks to help you spend less and save more.

In the second phase of the Oprah Debt Diet, the steps become more detailed and have more long-term goals.

5: Create a monthly spending plan. Write everything down and chart your progress as you pay down your debts.

6: Take big steps to grow your income. Whether it is selling your assets or getting a second job, sometimes you have to make big choices to get out of debt.

7: Prioritize your debts and raise your credit score. Confused about which debts to pay off first? You might want to take a look at what debt counseling can do for you.

8: Understand your spending issues…and save! Try to find out why why you spend. Then, find out how to resist temptation and build an emergency fund.

These are all very good ideas. Why wouldn't they be? They were created by finance and debt experts! However, many people are already past the point of simple debt management.

If you are already way in over your head in debt then you may need to do more than just spend less and try to make more money. Those are both great ideas and they go well with the idea of treating debt like weight loss, but like dieting, there are some people who are going to need weight loss surgery and a tummy tuck.

The financial equivalent of weight loss surgery and a tummy tuck would be debt consolidation, debt negotiation or bankruptcy.

Getting rid of your debt can be just as difficult as getting rid of your belly fat. You probably need all the help that you can get!