A good diet is a healthy diet

If given a choice between the Atkins and the South Beach diets, at least one nutritionist said she'd pick the latter because it allows more variations and substitutes for vegetables and carbohydrates on the menu.

"The Atkins Diet can cause muscle loss and you need muscles to help burn fat," said Nancy Bennett, a registered nutritionist and dietitian in private practice.

She helps patients with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or hypertension, as well as help seniors stay out of nursing homes as a consultant for a number of adult daycare programs in San Francisco. Bennett is also a spokesperson for Foster Farms' Get Fit Campaign.

"Everyone is thinking healthy at this time, but the biggest downfall is everybody is on the run. They don't have time for good nutrition or time to sit down for a healthy meal," Bennett said. "I tell people to pack healthy foods in their briefcase, the glovebox or their lunchbox."

She recommends seven walnuts (100 calories), three cups of popcorn (100 calories) or a quarter cup of roasted soy nuts (200 calories) in individual baggies, good for a day's consumption. The walnuts are high in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids which takes the stomach three hours to digest. It helps dieters keep on track and not overeat. The soy nuts require a lot of chewing and slow down eating long enough for the brain to register that the stomach is full, about 20 minutes.

"People should never get really hungry because it makes them make stupid decisions," Bennet said. "For example, people who go to a party know that they're going to eat less than healthy foods. So, they'll starve themselves all day. Then, when they get to the party, they'll have a cocktail. Now, they're anaesthetized and ravenous."

Bennett is a proponent of slow and steady weight loss programs that are accessible, affordable and simple. The popular diets are attractive because people want results and want to lose weight fast. But Bennett questions what people lose when they step on a scale: Five pounds of fat or five pounds of muscle?

"People want results. Our culture has a short attention span when it comes to weight loss. Initially, when people start a diet, much of the weight is reflective of water loss," she said. "There's a risk of dehydration and without muscles, you can't burn as much fat."

Rather than stepping onto a scale, Bennett recommends stepping into the skinniest pair of jeans in your wardrobe.

"Everyone has one of those lying around," Bennett said about skinny jeans. "You can tell you're losing body fat when you can fit into your tightest clothes."

Bennett concedes people are motivated to stick with a diet when they lose weight fast, but generally, her most successful patients are those who are active and have a daily exercise routine.

As a "genetically-fat person," Bennett realized in 1981 she would have to lose weight if she wanted to be a credible public speaker. At 5 feet and 2 inches tall, she weighed 150 pounds. Nowadays, she walks for 30 minutes and rides cardio-glides like an elliptical trainer for 15 minutes. She is down to 120 pounds, no longer needs to diet and has managed to keep the weight off for more than 20 years.

"Dieting is not about perfection, it's about consistency," Bennett said. "People should not beat themselves up if they blow it. Just eat healthier at the next meal."