BARBARA, arts, educational & cultural consultant: There is no quick fix or magic pill that will give you the body you desire. The pill pushers know this and, still they prey on the emotions of good people like you who want an immediate solution to the “desperately seeking the perfect body” scenario. The pill pushers are usually selling a product that will make lots of money in a short time and if it sounds too good to be true, please trust your instinct.

When you do use pills and radical diets to lose weight, the subsequent weight gain is usually much greater than your pre diet weight.

I’m a control freak and taking diet pills makes me feel out of control. The pill has the power instead of me, and I don’t like that. So, I use the tried and true methods of physical exercise and healthy eating.

For me, lifestyle change is a continual experience. I learn what works and what doesn’t. When things don’t work, change is in order. This is true of eating and working out. I stopped weight training for a few months and started doing water aerobics three times a week. I love the water workout, but I realized I needed to add the weights again. So, now I’m alternating my weekdays with water aerobics and weight training. On the two days I use weights, I warm-up with the treadmill and end with the recumbent bike. My trainer says that this will be an awesome prescription for me.

In addition, I am gardening a couple days a week and enjoying the wonderful summer fruits and vegetables that are available. I’m having a ball on my wellness quest and you can too once you realize the significance of these words, “if it is to be it’s up to me.” Forget the pills. Make meal planning and regular exercise part of the routine. Self-love, self-determination, self-discipline and self-worth are much more potent than a ton of diet pills. So let’s get started. Remember, “Inch by inch it’s a cinch.”

Posted June 18, 2003 02:32 AM