"Having a regular pattern of snacks can be an effective strategy to keep hunger at bay so you don't overeat at the next meal," Miller-Kovach says. However, snacking is a dieting strategy that works for some people and not for others. "If you're going to snack, you need to be a planner," Miller-Kovach says. She offer three tips to fit snacking into your diet without blowing your calorie budget:

1. Be prepared: Don't let a snack attack take you by surprise. To resist calorie-laden vending machine fare, for example, have healthy, satisfying snack foods on hand, such as nonfat yogurt, fresh fruit (apples, oranges, or bananas), dried fruit (raisins), rice cakes, animal crackers, packets of unflavored instant oatmeal, and low-cal beverages (herbal tea, flavored seltzers, or diet hot chocolate). In general, foods rich in calcium, such as low-fat or nonfat yogurt; iron, such as lentil soup; or fiber, such as whole-grain crackers, are good snacking choices because they contain nutrients lacking in many American women's diets. If you have trouble stopping at one serving, buy single-serving containers, says Fran Grossman, MS, RD, a nutritionist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
2. Get it write: Snacks have a way of working themselves into yourday. To avoid snacking amnesia (did I eat that?), write down the snacks you eat in a food diary. Even better, try reverse journaling, suggests Miller-Kovach. Record the snacks you plan to consume then check off each after you've eaten it. (You can use this weight loss strategy for meals, too.)
3. Personalize your snacking choices: To make sure your snack hitsthe spot, "find your personal preference in terms of what satisfies you," Miller-Kovach says. For example, if you tend to like crunchy snacks, stock your desk drawer with an apple or a tiny box of animal crackers. If you crave creaminess, try fat-free or low-fat yogurt or low-fat vanilla or chocolate pudding. Seeking something salty? Opt for fat-free pretzels.
   

Something sweet? Go for sorbet or a frozen yogurt pop. If you'd rather do like the French and avoid snacking, eat more at meals and have something to drink -- water or a diet beverage -- should a snack attack hit. If that doesn't work, and the chocolate bar or corn chips still call your name, go ahead and press that vending machine button. But whatever you do, don't gobble guiltily. Instead, do like the French when it comes to eating in general: For maximum satisfaction, savor that snack very slowly.

Make sense of weight-loss fads! Diet trends that work and don't

By Suzanne Kokkins, Registered Dietician for Lifetime

Q: There are so many weight-loss gimmicks out there that it's hard to know which are for real and which are bogus. Are artificial sweeteners really better for weight loss than regular sugar? What's the deal with Olestra? Is the Atkins high protein diet really good for you?

A: Sugar is a carbohydrate and a source of energy, which provides four calories per gram. As with everything else, consuming sugar in moderation is fine. If you're trying to cut calories, I recommend using real sugar sparingly in baking and cooking and using artificial sweeteners as a complement to the real thing. Artificial sweeteners can offer additional
sweetness with fewer calories - and have been shown to be safe by the Food and Drug Administration. As for Olestra, a fat-substitute now found in some potato chips, it has been clinically studied and proven safe to eat by the FDA. Whether you want to eat a substance that your body is unable to digest and simply spits out is up to you!

Nutritionists and registered dieticians recommend against high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets like the Atkins program for many reasons. They tend to be high in fat and low in fiber and do not offer the five servings of fruits and vegetables currently recommended by the National Cancer Institute to ward off cancer. High-protein diets also set up metabolic ketosis; a harmful, unnatural state in which the body lacks insulin and must burn fat for energy. This condition can cause nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. In addition, these diets do not teach healthful, balanced eating habits that can be sustained over the long-term. That's the reason so many people gain back any weight they lose once they stop such strict diet programs.