Fad-Proof Your Diet

Three years ago, the Atkins name was on everyone's lips. Science seemed to support the contention that a high-protein, low-carb diet produced safe, effective weight loss. And the public was wild for it. According to Reuters, at its peak, some nine percent of American adults claimed to be on an Atkins-type diet. Low-carb foods packed the supermarket aisles, steakhouse banquets were lined with beautiful people, and even the typically staid New York Times printed an article so giddily enthusiastic, it could have passed for an infomercial.

Recently, Atkins filed for Chapter 11 due, in no small measure, to diminished interest in its namesake diet. What happened? Did science change? Did horrible side effects from the diet emerge? Was ‑ perish the thought ‑ the New York Times wrong? No. What killed the Atkins diet was the same phenomenon that brought it to prominence: fashion.

Diets, like clothes, have "in" periods and "out" periods. Atkins itself made its debut in the '70s only to be supplanted by low-fat plans like Dr. Dean Ornish's Eat More, Weigh Less. Right now, the South Beach program seems to be going strong, but you can almost feel the trend meter ticking down. The next diet sensation is just around the corner and only time will reveal it to us.

It doesn't surprise me that diets come and go like fashion. There are endless ways to spin the advice "eat less, burn more" into actionable plans with appealing hooks. What does surprise me is that we unfailingly fall for each new diet as a revolutionary approach that will work where all its predecessors have failed. And with each new self-deception, we lose something more than time and hard-earned cash. We lose our way.

The more theories we hear, the more paralyzed we become. Should we eat low-fat or high-protein? How about less of everything? If margarine is as bad as butter, should we eat butter? And what about timing? Should we eat every three hours? Never past 7pm? It's enough to make you seek comfort in a bowl of macaroni and cheese or a pint of ice cream. (They're still okay in moderation, right? Right?!)

For those who are sick of fashion's merry-go-round, the antidote is good taste. With an eye for quality and the confidence to know what works for you, you need never be stuck with a closet full of nothing to wear. And with the same skill set, you need never be stuck with a refrigerator full of nothing to eat. Here's how to fad-proof your diet:

Invest in quality. Minimally processed foods are the cashmere of the edible world. They keep you full longer than processed junk (white flour is acrylic).

Tailor your portions. Oversized is never flattering.

Accessorize. Everything that goes in your mouth should be a combination of protein, fat and carbohydrate (or at least two of the three). Eating this way keeps your blood sugar stable and your appetite in check.

Savor luxuries. You can afford indulgences, no matter how strict your diet or limited your budget. Two strategies: (1) Take 10 percent of your daily caloric allotment as "mad money" to spend as you will, and (2) save up the 10 percent each day to splurge on one big-ticket item.

Know what suits you. Orange is the new black? Not if it makes you look sallow. If it looks or feels wrong, it is wrong. Stick with what works for you, even if the fashionistas sneer.

And finally, hold your head high. As the French say, there is nothing more beautiful than a woman who is "bien dans sa peau," or, as we say in English, "comfortable in her skin."