I CAN'T BELIEVE I ATE THE WHOLE THING; JANUARY BRINGS RESOLUTIONS TO LOSE WEIGHT, GAIN CONTROL

Holiday feasting, nibbling and celebrating adds pounds and prompts New Year's resolutions to shed that extra weight and begin a healthier year.

"January is the busiest month of the diet season," said Sandie Folender, president of Weight Watchers of Greater Missouri.

"Everybody sort of lets go during the holidays," she said. "The average person gains four to seven pounds over Christmas.

"And then everyone wants to start (losing weight) with the new year."

Anita Newcomer, registered dietitian at Southeast Missouri Hospital's Wellness Center, said: "We always gear up at the beginning of the year to take advantage of the new year's enthusiasm. We want to help make this resolution last, so you don't have to make it again in 1992."

A pledge to lose pounds, weight-loss professionals believe, must be one of the most common New Year's resolutions.

Medical professionals, businesses, books, tapes, videos and magazines all hope to help people keep those resolutions.

The answer to losing weight sounds simple eat less and exercise more.

Carolyn Peer-Hammonds, a registered dietitian who is assistant director of food and nutrition services at St. Francis Medical Center, said, "You'll find that no matter what a program is marketed under, no matter what it's called, these are two elements of a successful weight-loss program."

But cutting calories and beginning an exercise program aren't always easy.

"Some diet programs use gimmicks to get people to join," Peer-Hammonds said. "But my philosophy is that it must start from within, and you have to be reasonable about what you do.

"If people want to make a fresh start, the beginning of the year is a perfect time," Peer-Hammonds said. "You can use the first of the year as a marker, especially if you haven't done so well in 1990."

St. Francis Medical Center offers a 12-week weight-reduction class called "The Right Weigh."

"I don't like to say diet," said Peer-Hammonds. "I say behavior modification or a more healthy lifestyle, which includes taking charge of your dietary habits and incorporating exercise."

She said a nutritionally sound diet also will help participants feel better. "You won't get so stale and burnt-out with winter doldrums," she said. "When you eat more nutritiously, you feel better; not so sluggish, more revived."

Newcomer said dieting has become big business. "There is a lot of competition out there for the object of your New Year's resolution."

The Wellness Center offers classes about nutrition, behavior modification and exercise.

"A lot of people are registering for the exercise classes instead of coming to us and asking, what should I eat for the next month?" Newcomer said.

She teaches a class called "Life Without Diets." "My philosophy is to make permanent habit changes rather than looking for a quick fix," she said.

"Food restrictions and obsession with what you're going to eat don't work," she said. "You need a low-fat diet and regular exercise."

Folender, with Weight Watchers, said weight loss is a good way to make winter more enjoyable.

"The holiday season is not just two days," Folender said. "It starts almost with Halloween. People are partying, socializing, visiting friends and family. Then, all of a sudden, it comes to a stop.

"That's when the winter doldrums hit."

She said losing weight offers a boost during this time. "For someone who needs to lose weight, you will feel better in control of yourself when you are eating properly."

Folender said Weight Watchers offers a new program this year. "It is very flexible. There are three different plans, from a very strict plan with no variety to a plan with lots of variety."

She said the Weight Watchers plan covers all food groups. "It's balanced nutritionally and it's also livable."

Celeste Rogers, owner of Formu-3 Weight Loss Center in Cape Girardeau and Carbondale, Ill., said January traditionally is a busy time for her program.

"It's a good time for people to start out," Rogers said. "Most people who come in January and February see really good results. They have just been through the holiday and are ready to get back into shape."

She said participants in the Formu-3 program eat food from the four basic food groups.

"Many people who join want to feel better about themselves," Rogers said.

The program includes a series of consultations dealing with feelings about self-concept.

"We hope to keep them motivated and make them feel good about their accomplishments," she said.

Mary Kennedy, owner of the Diet Center of Cape Girardeau, said: "Business always picks up at the beginning of the year. People usually gain a few pounds over Christmas, eating all the goodies.

"And this is one resolution I think almost everyone makes: they are going to get thinner."

Kennedy said most clients join the Diet Center for health reasons. "People also join because they want to look better and also for self-esteem," she said.

"We offer a sound program with proper nutrition, which is developed on an individual basis," Kennedy said.

"We try to help them change their eating habits and keep them motivated," she said. "And once they start eating right, they feel so much better."

Owners of Nutri-System in Cape Girardeau declined to comment about their program.

Anyone with questions about nutrition or specific diets may contact a dietitian at either hospital.