PULSE THE ZEN OF WEIGHT LOSS FITNESS GURU STRESSES THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION.

PATIENCE. PERSISTENCE. SELF-DISCIPLINE. COMMITMENT.

Sounds like the four horsemen of the Apocalypse for dieters.

But the go-slow, be-sure message of fitness guru Bob Greene seems to be embraced by his fans, who have pushed his new ``Get With the Program'' fitness book to the top of The New York Times best seller list.

``Everyone wants a secret,'' said Greene, who will deliver his message personally Wednesday at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica.

Greene's secret? Get moving on a consistent basis and eliminate eating for emotional reasons. Achieve that, Greene said, and ``everyone can reach their goal weight.''

But Greene, whose last book, ``Make the Connection,'' with co-author Oprah Winfrey, also topped the best-seller list, acknowledges that ending eating from boredom, stress or loneliness is not an easy or quick fix.

In fact, he devotes one of his new book's four chapters to the subject and warns that ``eliminating emotional eating requires discipline, patience, and a serious commitment to improving your life.''

``Weight isn't the problem,'' he said from a book tour stop in Chicago last week. ``This extra weight is only telling me something in my life has to change.''

That such straight talk sounds a chord with Greene's readers can be seen in reactions to his message, he said.

A January taping of ``Oprah'' during which Greene discussed emotional eating elicited overwhelming response, he said. A Web site linked to the show set a record for viewer response, he said.

Despite such enthusiasm, Greene concedes change remains difficult, and only a committed few may actually live out his advice and achieve long-term success.

``If I can get just 5 percent of people who buy this book to succeed, I'm happy with that,'' he said.

- Denise E. Swibold

BOB GREENE

Where: Starlight Ballroom, Fairmont Miramar Hotel, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica.

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Tickets: Free, but reservations are required. Call [phone].

HEART SMART: February is the month medical professionals hope people will think about that thing that goes pitter patter. They're up against a grim statistic: One in four Americans has some type of heart disease. From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Providence St. Joseph Medical Center will hold ``A Day of Heart Wellness.'' Blood pressure readings, body-fat analysis, cholesterol tests and other consultations will be offered. The hospital is located at 501 S. Buena Vista St. in Burbank. Reservations are required; call [phone].

- Elizabeth Smilor

GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS: A new series of tai chi classes starts this week at Kaiser Permanente in Panorama City. Tai chi uses slow, sustained movements to promote overall health and longevity. This six-week program is open to adults of all ages and skill levels. Classes, beginning this week, are from 2 to 4 p.m. or from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Fees are $55 for Kaiser members and $82.50 for nonmembers. For more information, call [phone].

- E.S.

BUYING ADVICE: Purchasing home fitness equipment can be a costly endeavor. Treadmills and elliptical trainers go for $500 to $3,000. It's an investment worth making if you prefer working out at home rather than at a gym, and if you buy the right machine. The March issue of Consumer Reports will help consumers make better choices. They rate treadmills - the best-selling home exercise machines - and elliptical exercisers on everything from ease to ergonomics to construction. They also tried out some of the new abdominal machines, but didn't rate them. Instead, they note that basic, ab exercises (without the machines) work just as well and offer a few basic moves.

- E.S.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) no caption (Bob Greene)

(2) no caption (magazine: ``Consumer Reports'')