Say Goodbye to Dieting There's a reason trendy diets go out of style as fast as go go boots and beehive hairdos: They don't work. As you talk to weight loss experts, you'll hear over and over again that there is no magic weight loss diet. If you drastically cut back on calories to lose weight, the pounds will come flocking back once you start to eat normally again. The not so secret secret to weight loss and control is not an eating plan with a sexy name and lots of hype, but a healthy, low fat diet that emphasizes fruits, grains, and vegetables. If you make it part of your lifestyle, you won't have to worry about gaining pounds back. "Fad diets come and go. Over and over we see that the only thing that really works is a balanced, healthy diet with moderation," says Lorna Pascal, R.D., nutrition coordinator at the Dave Winfield Nutrition Center at the Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. When it comes to planning and eating meals, remember these tips to help keep the pounds off Fill up with fiber. Not only is fiber good for you, but it fills you up more quickly and with fewer calories, which prevents you from eating more. A study at the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, found that pectin, a soluble fiber found in the skins of fruits and vegetables, made people feel fuller longer. To get more fiber, base your meals on fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and whole grain breakfast cereals, says Melanie Polk, R.D., director of nutrition education at the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. Get low fat and lean. Each gram of fat contains more calories than a gram of protein or carbohydrate. Eating a high fiber diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains naturally helps you cut down on fat, Polk says. Also, limit your use of oils and butter and switch to dairy products like fat free milk, low fat cheese, and low fat yogurt. If you eat meat, choose moderate portions of skinless chicken and turkey and lean cuts of red meat, such as top round, bottom round, and top sirloin. Be moderate. No food is bad if you don't eat too much of it. "We live in a super sized world," Pascal says. Even people who choose low fat fare will gain weight if they eat too much. You can enjoy just about any food as long as you enjoy it in moderation. Eat with all your senses. It's easy to gulp down a meal without enjoying it, then end up still feeling unsatisfied. If you focus more on your food, a little will go a long way, Polk says. Look at the plate and study the colors and textures. "Get the visual enjoyment," she adds. Then close your eyes and smell the aroma of the meal. As you put a small bite into your mouth, pay attention to the texture and taste of each and every morsel. Slowly chew and savor the food before swallowing, she says. "You'll satisfy all your senses and realize that you don't need to eat as much food to get the enjoyment out of it." Size up serving sizes. When is a bagel not a bagel? When it's really four bagels. Just because you eat one of something doesn't mean it's a single serving. Many foods such as a big bagel are actually four servings of bread. When you're eating foods that come in bulk, such as rice or pastas, read their labels and figure out exactly what a serving size is, Pascal says. Measure out how much food you eat and compare it to the label to see how many calories and grams of fat you are actually getting . Once you learn servIings, you'll be able to judge with your eye how much you should eat. Ask for a doggie bag first. Because they're so busy, many women find themselves eating out a lot these days. Restaurant serving Sizes can be UP to four times what a regular serving size should be. To make sure that you don't overdo it, ask for the doggie bag first, Polk says. Put half of the meal away before you even start to eat. Make veggies the centerpiece. In a typical American meal, meat is often the star. Vegetables and whole grains just garnish the main event. Break out of that mindset, Polk says. Make vegetables and whole grains the centerpiece. If you do have meat, make it a small side dish. Utilize spices and flavors. Fat isn't the only way to flavor food. Polk suggests using nonfat sauces such as teriyaki, flavored vinegars, or nofat salad dressing. Season vegetables and meat! with herbs and spices to add flavor without fat. Be prepared. If you don't have any health, low fat food around, it's easy to fall into a fat eating trap. Stock up your pantry with a few items to make sure that you can always fix quick and easy, tasty meal: brown rice, whole grain spaghetti, beans, salsa, frozen vegetables, canned fruit, low fat pasta sauce, and low fat chicken broth. Polk points out that many combinations of these items can make a quick, tasty meal. Snack on fruits and vegetables. Snacking isn't evil when you're trying to lose or maintain weight as long as you pick healthy, low fat snacks, Polk says. When you feel the hunger set in before meals, try fresh or canned fruit, wholewheat crackers, vegetables such as baby carrots, or a glass of low fat or fat free milk. 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