If you are like hundreds of people trying to get ready for summer, getting back to the gym and into a workout routine is your New Year's resolution. But what if I told you that dieting is more important to reaching your goal than exercise?

"I firmly believe dieting is far more important to weight loss than exercise. You cannot out exercise a bad diet," said Pam Sherman, a personal trainer and founder of The Perfect Balance.

Dieting is often the most difficult part for those who want to lose weight and get in shape. Going for a run or getting to the gym is only half the battle. There are a lot of things to consider when trying to figure out which diet works for you and how to go about mastering it.

One important aspect that goes hand in hand with dieting is your sleep schedule.

Chris Brantner, a certified sleep science coach, says proper sleep is crucial for weight loss. You may have noticed that you tend to eat more or eat bad foods when you don't get enough sleep. That's because not getting enough sleep leads to poor food choices, largely due to increased levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin.

Another key aspect is that you can't put bad food into your system and expect to work all that off. Your workout will only be as good as you allow it to be. That means, the healthier the foods, the better the workout, the more calories you're going to burn, the more weight you will lose.

In order to diet correctly, you need to view it as a lifestyle change. Rui Li, a certified personal trainer and owner of New York Personal Training, breaks it down with a simple analogy.

"Food is fuel," he said. "If you have a Ferrari, and you give it regular unleaded, then you are feeding your machine junk. However, if you give it premium gas, then you are enabling it to perform its best."

So, maybe you're just realizing that your diet is the problem or that you aren't sure how to go about dieting. There are a lot of weight-loss plans, nutritionists and personal trainers that can help figure that out. For most, those are not realistic options, and that’s OK.

You can diet on your own. Luke Johnson, certified personal trainer at Gold's Gym explains dieting in simple terms: "Your calorie intake is structured around your macronutrients (carbs, fats and proteins), and it is left up to you how you meet your intake."

Not every diet works the same for every person. Some need more carbs and less protein; others may need equal amounts of everything. Finding what works best for you is all about trial and error.

Sherman mentions that she has her clients track their calories for a week without changing anything. The following week, she has them cut their calories by just 10 percent and see how they feel and whether the scale moves. You aren't going to drop 10 pounds after a week of dieting — slow and steady wins the race when it comes to weight loss.

Meal prepping is a great way to make dieting easy and is helpful if you live a busy life. Sherman suggests prepping for just a few days ahead instead of a whole week. Get protein at every meal, and get loads of veggies and water.

There are so many diets out there — Keto, Weight Watchers, Paleo, etc. — but the key it to make sure it works for you and make it fun. Pick a day to meal prep and try different foods and recipes so that it doesn't get boring.

Dieting is 80 percent of the weight-loss equation, and exercise is just an addition to that. Give your body the nutrients it needs to perform well, and you will start seeing the changes you've been looking for.