As so many of us have, I have tried a whole slew of different diets: food combining, Zone, Atkins, low fat, calorie counting, South Beach, you name it. Honestly, I believe that most of the diets work and can represent a healthy lifestyle choice for someone. The only diets that I felt truly terrible on were Atkins (felt unhealthy and depressed) and low-fat (constantly hungry), and I’m sure that even those plans will work for people who are suited to them and take the time to make them work.

At this point, my litmus test for a good diet is what it wants you to be eating once you reach your goal weight. In my experience, pretty much all of the good ones say the same thing: vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, fruit, legumes, and some nuts and healthy oils. After that, it’s really a matter of knowing yourself. What works for your lifestyle? What helps you curb your bad habits? What allows you to eat at least some of the foods you really love?

With respect to weight control plans, I’ve come to the conclusion that the South Beach diet is the best fit for me and my life. It focuses on the foods I should be eating anyway, helps me deal with carbohydrate cravings, and never leaves me hungry.

My basic core ideas about exercise and nutrition have been heavily influenced by people like Walter Willett, who is Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. His books are sane, well-written, and scientifically grounded…I highly recommend them. I also like that his books take a much more holistic approach than your average weight control plan does. The focus is on building an overall healthy lifestyle rather than achieving short term results. For me, this grounding in health and nutrition was really essential to get in the right mindset to follow a diet healthily and properly.