01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, May 30, 2004

BY ALISHA A. PINA
Journal Staff Writer

EAST PROVIDENCE -- "What diet are you on?" many ask.

My answer is always, "Diets you go on and eventually you go off them, therefore I'm not on any diet. I'm making a life change to eat better and be healthy."

South Beach and Atkins are not for me. And they won't ever be because I believe you shouldn't deny yourself any foods, which is a philosophy I learned on Weight Watchers several years ago.

You should just eat in moderation. And if you're going to have garlic or bruschetta bread, pasta with alfredo sauce, Domino's deep dish pizza, a steak and cheese grinder, Cheetos, crab rangoon, chocolate glaze donuts, Miracle Whip, and teriyaki and soy sauces . . . eat small amounts of them early in the day so your body can digest them quicker.

I have not been to McDonald's or Burger King since January, but I have been to Taco Bell a couple of times. Did I tell you I live next to a bakery? That means I wake up to the aromas of sweet, Portuguese and banana breads, all of which I absolutely adore.

But I know what I want, and that's why these foods, no matter how good they taste, will rarely enter my body.

So what do I eat? I attempt to eat about 1,600 calories a day. I also try to consume five small meals a day. The snacks are before lunch and dinner and they're usually fruit; a cereal bar or something else small with a drink, such as tea with milk and some sugar substitute; water or a very small cup of orange juice. I almost never have soda and I don't miss it.

For breakfast, I have one package of oatmeal and two cups of water. If I'm really hungry, I make an omelet with one or two egg whites and one full egg. I throw in broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. Every now and then I'll have a Dunkin' Donuts egg and cheese sandwich on an English muffin, or a bowl of cold cereal. (Total Brown Sugar Oats is good and nutritious).

Lunch is my biggest meal by far. I'm a regular at this eatery in Bristol called Rhonda's Small-town Diner. My favorites are a salad with marinated chicken, a tuna melt with less cheese and wheat bread, a cup of soup and baked fish.

Dinner is difficult because I come home late from the gym or work. I feel like I'm reversing all the hard work at the gym when I eat a full meal past 8 p.m. So I settle for a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce, tomatoes and mustard. When I come back before 8 p.m., I have meals, such as a chicken stir-fry with rice or orzo. Baked cod with broccoli and tomatoes is another dinner regular.

It's hard to change longtime habits. That's why keeping a food journal -- writing down everything you eat every day and at what time -- is so important, because it keeps you accountable. I haven't kept a food journal for three weeks and that might be another reason why I haven't lost any weight lately.

All you can do is keep trying. It won't happen overnight. Don't ever give up. I'm not.