Next Year's Diet Books

By Andrea Sachs

Low carb. High fiber. No sugar. Reduced fat. Points. Exchanges. "Everything that you can think of has been done," says Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor at New York University and the author of What to Eat. "It's hard to think of some new gimmick in dieting." Have no fear. Each year as the New Year's resolution season draws near, the publishing industry dreams up novel weight-loss schemes to entice the ever plumper U.S. population, nearly two-thirds of which is overweight. The new crop of diet books recommends everything from treating meals as mood medicine to eating dinner for breakfast. Here's a sampler. The Best Life Diet By Bob Greene

The author is Oprah's personal trainer and diet adviser. Guess whose book will be No. 1 five minutes after it comes out? Luckily, Greene's diet advice is wise: fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lots of exercise. If Oprah can do it, so can you.

The Gold Coast Cure's Fitter Firmer Faster Program By Andrew and Ivy Larson

Take out your bikini! This husband-and-wife team advises avoiding "fake and fattening foods" and sticking with unrefined whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Oh, and exercise. (Do we detect a common theme here?) The Good Mood Diet By Susan Kleiner

The author promises you'll feel terrific while you lose weight by eating "feel-great foods." Alas, that doesn't mean Ben & Jerry's. She's talking, naturally, about fruits, vegetables and other healthy, filling diet fare.

The Skinny By Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson

Ever wondered how that lithe young woman at the office eats those luscious foods and never gains any weight? This book reveals her secrets. She exercises, she's picky, and she eats exactly what she wants--in "smallish" quantities. Best tip: when you sit down to eat, always include fruit or vegetables.

THE REVERSE DIET By Tricia Cunningham and Heidi Skolnik The "reverse" at the heart of this diet is the adage "Eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner." Your big meal in the morning "will boost your energy throughout the day," the authors promise. That way, you'll be sated by nightfall and less likely to surf the fridge just before bedtime. Choose healthy foods like whole grains and lean protein. It's not necessary to break your fast with a sirloin steak, but neither is it against the rules.