We have a love-hate relationship with fat. On one hand we like the taste and know it adds precious flavor and "mouth-feel" to our foods. On the other hand, too much of it adds the extra calories to our diet. If we don't burn those extra calories (and most Americans don't) they get stored as fat. When it does our interest in getting rid of the excess is heightened and we often turn to sources that can make us crazy.

Just last week, one of the TV "news magazines" ran yet another story about the tug of war between researchers whose studies reveal a high fat diet is one of the major causes of the diseases of longevity and "experts" who tell us we need to eat more dietary fat and protein and less carbohydrates. The reporter enthusiastically shared his own success on a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate diet. He sited three well-known writers on diet: Dr. Atkins, who has never done any research despite making more than $50 million in book royalties; Barry Sears, whose "The Zone" diet plan - exactly 40% protein, 30% carbohydrate and 30% fat - is based on his research with diabetics; and Dr. Dean Ornish, proponent of a low fat, high complex carbohydrate strategy combined with exercise and meditation, to reverse the damage of heart disease.

As usual, the reporting was confusing. Atkins and Sears sell their diet with the spin, "Fat doesn't make us fat; if it did, all the people who have been on low fat diets would be thin." Of course, this misses the point. People who are overweight are fat because they eat more calories than they use on a daily basis. Their "sensitivity to sugar" is, in most cases, a result of a lack of exercise. The exercising body doesn't experience "insulin insensitivity." Although both Atkins and Sears have recently tempered their message and discouraged simple carbohydrates (added dietary sugar) in favor of high-in-complex-carbohydrates (fresh fruits and vegetables), the message often gets lost in media hype.

On the other hand, focusing on Ornish's "softer" approach by turning up his nose at meditation and choosing to cite recipes that featured tofu, the reporter skewed the message to make Ornish look like he lived on another planet. The reporter, once again, cheered us on with a reminder that his success was built on steak and salad.

But the reporter did not point out that by giving up desserts and eliminating processed foods (which he admitted) he lowered his total calorie intake to create the negative calorie balance which sheds fat.

In 1982, after attempting to make sense of all the research and advice I had gathered from doctors and dietitians, I heard, for the first time, a lecture about a dietary strategy that focused on only a few sensible guidelines: "Eat a balanced diet that is lower fat, lower sugar and higher fiber." That message became the centerpiece of a book I co-authored with that night's lecturer, nutritional biochemist, Covert Bailey. Since then I've added another guideline: match your calorie intake to your activity level. I've also created a nifty, easy-to-use diet strategy that allows users to incorporate their favorite foods into a weight loss plan.

That strategy is outlined on a poster. It costs $4 + s/h, but if you send me $2 and a stamped ($.60) notebook-sized self-addressed envelope, I'll rush the poster to you. (Send to LIFESTYLES by Ronda Gates, PO Box 974, Mesa, AZ 85206.) And in future weeks I'll continue to support you and challenge you to "think smart" when it comes to choices that can make the difference when it counts--for the rest of your life.