IT'S already been three months since the new year started and we bet that for a lot of you, those ideas and plans you'd had for resolving to make this year the year of the diet have gone out the door.

It's not too late to get back on track though - to pull your socks up, brush yourself off and begin trying again. So did you fall off the diet bandwagon? No need to fret. With a good 282 days left in the year, there's still time to get things going again.

Personally, I am marking the red line between myself at 136 lbs now, and myself at 125 lbs before, and I am seeing her from a distance as I munch away on junk. But really, where there is a will there is always a way.

I was browsing one of my favourite diet and exercise sites (ediets.com) and I came across this titbit of information that I would love to share with you, so take heed.

There are simple positive changes that cheaters like myself can make to finish the year healthier. If you find that your resolutions start out strong and fizzle in a few months, then set achievable resolutions for the year.

So:
Improve your eating habits instead of strict dieting
Here is where I went wrong. I said to myself, "I'm going on a strict diet". Whoa, hold on. Why not improve my eating habits rather than trying to go cold turkey? If you find that you plan to go cold turkey and then relapse, here is what you can do. Try to find out how many calories your body needs per day to maintain your current weight, and then set an achievable goal, such as eating 50 to 100 calories less than the calorie needed each day. You can do this the next time you go for your regular check up at your doctor. Divide these calories throughout the day by planning your breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, and dinner. Vegetables, fruits, low-fat protein such as fish and chicken and whole grains should form part of your meals.

Eat more home-cooked meals, rather than fast foods and take outs.

It is so difficult to control your food intake when you eat out or have take out. Not to mention how those large boxes of food can be such teasers and tempt you to eat more than you had intended. What you can do is cut the number of meals at restaurants or fast-food drive-ins to once or twice a week. That means no more frequent visits to Burger King for me. And guess what? I will be saving money - what a nice bonus! Take those savings and put in your special piggy bank leading up to your birthday or Christmas. Or treat yourself each month, and NO, I DON'T MEAN A FOOD TREAT, but say for instance a spa treatment or your favourite, smaller clothing. After all, it is your healthy reward and you earned it!

Herbs and spices to add flavour, not fat and calories
Now, that salt shaker has got to go, and you must write a farewell letter to deep fried foods. You will be substituting garlic powder, some good old thyme, rosemary, curry powder and those other good herbs and spices you grew up on. Here is the rule, broil or bake over fry. If you need to add some more creativity to your meal, you can always try some good steam vegetables.

Break your fast

It is often said that if you are dieting you must ensure you have breakfast. Studies show that dieters who eat this important first meal have higher success rates when it boils down to telling those pounds "Buh-bye". So eat healthy. For instance, you can have hard-boiled eggs, whole grain cereals, fruits and a hot cup of tea.

Exercise

If you are like me where the gym at work is open fromt 6:00 am to 9:00 am when you are still in bed fast asleep, or early in the evenings when the bulk of the work is yet undone, you'll see mountains in your struggle to stay fit.

But do not make that excuse about "not having enough time to exercise".

If you cannot find the full hour a day to exercise as is recommended by physicians, then break up the exercise times. Get up earlier, and run or walk before work; take the stairs instead of the elevator and then run or walk again after dinner. Now, do not give me that "I get bored exercising by myself" excuse. I am guilty of it all. What I did was invite my friend's mom to come walk with me. If walking is not your thing, tune in to a fitness programme on the television. Many of them are so much fun. Hope you start losing.

allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com

...Or better yet, 'feed' your sex drive

LOOKING for ways to spice up your sex life? You can start simply by looking at what you eat. According to lifestyle consultant, Dr Heather Little-White, healthy lifestyles, healthy bodies and knowledge of good nutrition are critical to maintaining a great sex drive.

"Sometimes over time you lose the sex drive and there are a range of foods that help to rekindle libido," said Dr Little-White, who will be talking about 'Feeding Your Sex Drive' at Forever Young, a Health, Nutrition and Rejuvenation Expo to held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on March 29 and 30.

She explained that some foods are known to enhance sexuality and sexual performance as well as setting the mood and tone for better sexual relationships.

"There is a mind body connection - it starts in the mind first with some foods, for example, bananas. As they have the phallic shape, they give a tremendous effect from the psychological point of view," she said, adding that ripe bananas are a popular item for giving a sexual boost.

She listed other food items such as oysters and spicy foods as good for boosting the libido.

"Spicy foods get the heart pumping and this helps persons with erectile dysfunction to perform better," said Dr Little-White. "Other foods such as chocolates, ginger, shrimp and olives are good for the seduction phase as they help to release the sex hormones and put the body in the mood for love."

Dr Little-White, a food, nutrition and lifestyle consultant, said that many relationships were under stress due to the difficult economic times but couples should explore ways to keep the flame burning.

"Some persons might feel that the relationship does not have its spark anymore but there are many ways to address this. I will go in depth at the seminar on some of the ways," said Little-White.

She will also be doing cooking demonstrations in the Expo's Wellness pavilion which this year is focusing on diabetes prevention and management.

Executive Class

Gardens with Gravel

Death to the Mullet!