Finding a Diet Everyone burns fat differently. The search for the perfect diet has never been more frenzied. Eat low-carb! No, eat low-fat! But beyond the hype, and the billions spent on weight-loss products, a [2] idea is catching on with researchers. Each person has a [3] key to weight loss. For Katie White, 27, a San Francisco bookkeeper, the weight-loss process was [4] different. She didn't want to eliminate whole food groups, so decided instead to reduce her portion sizes. White snacked on fresh fruit and was [5] about her daily regimen of sit-ups. One diet does not [6] all. Each of us has markedly different indicators that [7] how quickly we gain weight, and how hard it will be to lose it. In addition to the basics, such as height and age, scientists now realize our gender, genetics, metabolism, muscle mass, ethnicity, willingness to exercise, lifestyle, attitude and even where we live all come into play. This idea runs counter to what most diet-book authors or pricey weight-loss centers preach: that their plan is the key to the kingdom of the slim. The [8] approach to dieting has powerful proof. To be included, members must have maintained a 30-pound weight loss for at least a year. Even the [9] weight-loss program at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina, which recently had only a single low-fat, low-salt plan consistent with American Heart Association guidelines, now gives patients choices. "As of last year, we offer a wider range of options, including three different [10] of low-carb diets," says Howard Eisenson, MD, the center's director. "There has been [11] research showing that some people do very well with those plans."