Steaks drenched in butter sauce, three cheese omelets with bacon and a side of pork chops ... are these foods really the most effective way toward weight loss? Or is the best way to eliminate these fatty foods and dine solely on fruits, vegetables and beans? The nutritional debate between low-carbohydrate versus low-calorie versus low-fat diets is nothing new in the world of dieting, but rather just part of an alternating cycle of fad diets.

From Atkins to Ornish to the Zone, each stresses its benefits through limiting specific parts of your nutrition or altogether eliminating certain food groups.

Currently, many dieters are following the low-carbohydrate diet made famous by Dr. Robert Atkins. His approach allows unlimited protein and fats such as cheeses, meats, eggs and butter in combination with very limited intake of all types of carbohydrates from breads to fruits. By eliminating carbs, the body is forced to switch its metabolism from carb-burning to fat-burning and results in relatively quick weight loss. In reality, Atkins has been around for over three decades but has dipped in and out of favor every few years due to skepticism from nutritionists.

"Dieting is not something I believe in; being healthy is about eating a variety of natural foods and exercising regularly. Diets are too restrictive, hard to adhere to and often unhealthy," said Jill Cook, Kinesiology senior.

On the other end of the dieting spectrum is Dr. Dean Ornish, who advocates a low-fat approach. This diet advises no more than 10 percent of daily calories from fat, thus eliminating excessive saturated fats found in foods like steak and butter. Grains, beans, fruits and vegetables are the staples of this plan.

How does it make sense that one diet recommends exactly what the other prohibits? Both approaches fail to incorporate all portions included in the food guide pyramid, which are considered to be the fundamentals of a healthy diet.

The Institute of Medicine released a study earlier this month that concluded both high fat and low fat diets can be extremely unhealthy.

The Institute introduced new guidelines for healthy eating that offer Americans more flexibility for balancing fats, carbohydrates and protein.

The new guidelines recommend getting 45 to 65 percent of calories from carbohydrates, rather than the previous 50 percent. They also stipulate that 20 to 35 percent of calories should be from fat and 10 to 35 percent should be from protein. The Institute also doubled the previously recommended amount of exercise to maintain a healthy weight for adults from 30 minutes to one hour.

"People are not as active anymore and it shows in their weight. I constantly see non-handicap people use the button to automatically open the door. That's profound - it's getting out of control and we need to adapt our habits towards a healthy lifestyle," said University Health Services Nutritionist Marilyn DeMuth-Nakamoto.

"The new U.S. guidelines give us more flexibility in our lifestyles and allows choice and variety in our diet, rather than limiting choices," she added.

The fad diets' claims to success also come with negative ramifications. The initial weight loss on the Atkins diet is due to loss of water, not loss of body fat. Also, diets are just temporary fixes. Even Atkins admits that when you return to a high carb diet, the pounds come back. The serious issue presented by nutritionists is the correlation between diets high in saturated fat and increased heart disease risk.

"Studies haven't followed the subjects to see if they maintained their weight loss or looked at the long term health implications. The Atkins diet encourages consumption of meats and discourages consumption of grains, fruits and vegetables, and this type of diet is definitely implicated in an increased risk of several cancers," said Ruth Blackburn, a University nutrition specialist.

"After a few weeks on these diets, when you are used to eating bagels or Subway, you miss these foods, come back and eat more. Instead, just eat in moderation with more complex over-refined and touched foods," DeMuth-Nakamoto said.

Eating in moderation can often be difficult in college when students are placed in situations where there is an abundance of food, like cafeterias. Yet, the Residential Dining Services' MSmart Healthy Dining Program provides students with healthy alternatives and nutritional information.

"The MSmart program designates certain menu items as MSmart according to the protein, fat and calorie amounts. Another way we promote healthy eating is by making many of our menu items from fresh, high-quality ingredients," Blackburn said.

By providing students with nutrient information, healthy and nutritious lifestyles are encouraged.