Very much a “weight watcher,” is how Gigi Bruno, community outreach manager for The United Performing Arts Fund, describes herself. “I don’t eat big meals, but I eat tons throughout the day. I’m a big snacker.”

Bruno fell into the “freshman trap” of gaining weight her first year at Carroll College where she earned a degree in communications. Bruno claims she packed nearly thirty pounds onto her usually svelte frame. “I definitely gained weight my freshman year. I went in weighing 123 and my highest weight was 152. I was trying to buy clothes and I kept going up in size.” Then came the final jolt: “I saw myself in pictures.”

Bruno took action and went on a weight-loss plan she created herself. “I remained active, I taught aerobics, and I ran four times a week. My workout was purely cardiovascular and very little weight training. My body was still toned and I was happy as far as that was concerned. I also cut down on red meat and eliminated all soda from my diet.” Bruno likes spinach either in a salad or cooked and she eats a few organic foods such as cereal and tofu. She will only eat whole grain pasta and bread even though she grew up on white bread. But once in a while Bruno will indulge herself. “If I’m going to treat myself, I’ll do it right. I’ll have a regular Pepsi, and I’ll have half a burger because the serving size is so large. If I go to McDonalds, which I rarely do, I’ll have a kid’s meal.”

Everyone who watches their daily caloric intake either to maintain or lose weight knows that sometimes you have to employ little food tricks to stay on track. Bruno is no different. “If I go out to eat and order a tortilla, I never eat the shell, only the filling. If I go to a social function, I skip the salami, cheese and crackers because I want to have a meal when I get home. If I get home past 8:00 p.m. and I’m going to bed at 10:00 or 10:30, then I don’t have dinner. I don’t eat past 8:00 p.m. I always make an effort and it’s a huge effort.”

The soul and the spirit is very much a part of our physical health, and Bruno is mindful of that. “I cannot live without meditation. I love to stretch while meditating. If I miss a day, my body feels tight and crampy. My body is used to it.”

“If I’m going to treat myself, I’ll do it right. I’ll have a regular Pepsi, and I’ll have half a burger because the serving size is so large. If I go to McDonalds, which I rarely do, I’ll have a kid’s meal.”

Bruno has words of wisdom for GIRLFRIENDS who wish to support each other in the fight againest the never ending “battle of the bulge.” “Try not to critique another woman’s eating habits, or weight gain. It just sends the wrong message. Any small criticism, unless asked for, should be avoided.”