When it comes to getting-and staying-in shape, inspiration comes from many sources. For Laura J. Wellington of Madison, it comes from a desire to be as happy as she possibly can. The busy, 46-year-old entrepreneur and mother of five keeps fit by tapping into her sense of discipline, confidence, and accountability. And she's distilled that potent motivational cocktail into a fast-selling new book, The Four-Star Diet: Based Upon the Wisdom of General Colin Powell & Other Ridiculously Brilliant Leaders.

Unlike other "diet" books that prescribe meal plans and demonize "off-limits" foods, The Four-Star Diet addresses what Wellington sees as the root cause of weight-loss struggle: the emotional and psychological reasons why a person may not be ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle.

It all started when a friend told Wellington about a PowerPoint presentation delivered by Colin Powell. Powell argued that business leaders could benefit from the lessons he'd learned during his military career. Wellington thought, if "the principles that applied to the battlefield applied to the boardroom," why couldn't they apply to other areas of life? That's when it hit her: "The same principles can apply to diet...It's all about leadership, taking control, and balancing your life. If you're not at your optimum self-meaning you're healthy and balancing your life-you're not fulfilled. You need to respect yourself...It's much easier to succeed at anything when you're in that frame of mind."

Wellington supplemented Powell's ideas with advice from others who enjoyed success in their fields, among them Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ford, Marilyn Monroe, Ayn Rand, Gandhi, Malcolm X, and Harriet Beecher Stowe, and The Four-Star Diet was born.

Living discussed The Four-Star Diet and Wellington's approach to health with the new author last week.

What was the experience of writing the book like?

This is my first book, and it's been quite the doozy. It's been a real experience-nothing that I think most writers normally experience from a new book...It just had a life of its own from the moment I had an idea. It sort of took hold of me and wrote itself. And, within a month of writing it, I had four publishing offers.

How can the strategies in the book help people with weight loss, as well as other aspects of their lives?

These are strategies that I've been following, and not only have I applied them in my own professional life, [but] I've applied them in my personal life. You have to look at it as, anything you want to succeed at is not going to be handed to you. You have to have a clear vision and the self-confidence to succeed at it...You have to go in there with a sense of confidence; you have to feel good about yourself.

The focus of [The Four-Star Diet] is not to put a person on a diet; that's a decision that the person has to make on their own. I'm almost like the appetizer before the entrée-and I did that purposely: There are a lot of diet books out there [that tell people what they should or shouldn't eat]...and, in my own life, I've found that if you 'should' or you 'shouldn't,' that's setting you up for failure...[This book is about] straightening out your head...to begin that process [of weight loss] so that...you're at your optimum to achieve success...I'm really addressing long-term weight control, long-term happiness, and long-term fulfillment, because they all go hand-in-hand.

Do you apply the principles in The Four-Star Diet to your own life?

I've always tried to be in shape, but there's no getting around the fact that when you have babies you gain weight and when you age you gain weight. I look great for 46, but I am a mom who gets up every morning to run-I'm making a conscious decision to look this way. I'd rather put [my energy] into that side of my life than to sit there in a chair and be overweight and wonder why I'm unhappy.

What has the reaction to the book been?

Overwhelming. I've been very successful in my life...but this really even shocked me...But good ideas really have a life of their own-I really felt like I wasn't even writing.

What's the one thing you hope people will take away from The Four-Star Diet?

Life is very short, and I think that you owe it to yourself to live it well. Sometimes it's not always easy to start on that road, but the reality is once you get on that road, it becomes easier...Start leading in your life, taking control of your life, your diet, your happiness...If you're unhappy, why sit there wondering [why]-why not put that energy into doing?

The Four-Star Diet is available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.com.