And that's how it happened that, after moving to California from Manhattan, I found myself sitting in Carrie Latt Wiatt's office, where she runs a business called Diet Designs.

Now, let's make one thing clear: Wiatt isn't just an expert on nutrition and meal planning, she's the person responsible for Tinseltown's hottest bodies.

(Time out: I spoke to a New York friend yesterday who informed me that the correct new adjective to describe a good or hot body is sick. As in, Jennifer Lopez has a sick body!)

Wiatt has written two books, "Portion Savvy: The 30-Day Smart Plan for Eating Well" (Simon & Schuster, 1998), which spells out the how-tos of portion control for weight loss, and "Eating by Design: The Individualized Food Personality Type Nutrition Plan" (Pocket Books, 1996), which divides eaters into 12 personality types -- including "Thrillseeker," "Power-Player" and "Perfectionist," with Wiatt-prescribed diet solutions for each. For example, Thrillseekers should try adventurous low-fat foods like sushi or Tandoori chicken, while Perfectionists would do best with strictly planned menus, fixed mealtimes and calories to count.

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