SETTING ATTAINABLE GOALS HELPED OPRAH SLIM DOWN.

Byline: Bob Condor Chicago Tribune 

Resolutions are just another form of procrastination, if Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer is to be believed.

``I'm not a big fan of resolutions,'' said Bob Greene, Winfrey's trainer and author of ``Making the Connection,'' which has topped recent best-seller lists.

``Oprah fell into the trap just like the rest of us,'' Greene said. ``She would vow to make changes and then figure tomorrow or the first of the year was the time to start.''

Greene had other ideas for his celebrity client, whom he met at a Colorado health spa. ``She was putting off workouts and straying from actual starting times'' when he first moved to Chicago to become her trainer.

``I put up with it for three days, then said something. I told her the time to get going was that day, to do something positive for her health.''

Greene's philosophy is to build fitness momentum. It might be simply skipping dessert or walking an extra block during the early days of a promised turnaround. He urges people to keep pursuing physical activity and proper diet until they ``connect'' with the concept that exercising and eating right is about voluntary self-care - not something you grudgingly do out of a sense of obligation.

``When you realize a fitness program is really what's best for the body and mind - and what feels right - then you no longer have a motivation problem,'' Greene said.

But this intrinsic connection takes patience and, usually, lots of time. ``Oprah needed to change lifestyle patterns and self-esteem issues,'' Greene said. ``It took some doing, which is common.''

One strategy is to develop short-term goals. Trainers frequently urge clients to forget about a total weight-loss goal - say, 25 pounds in 1997 - and instead concentrate on feeling more energetic. Next, the person can aim to lose a pound every other week, perhaps. This approach makes goals more attainable while mistakes are less magnified (including losing count of those Buffalo chicken wings you eat during a long TV session of college football bowl games).

``The biggest problem for all of us is staying motivated,'' Greene said. ``One of the most effective strategies is placing something in front of yourself to get working. It might be a class reunion, wedding or other special occasion. It makes you stay on course.''

Greene used road races to fire up Winfrey.

He wanted to begin with a 10-kilometer race (6.2 miles) but resorted to a half-marathon (13 miles) because of scheduling conflicts.

``Oprah is a competitive person,'' he said. ``She responded to the challenge of training for a 13-mile race. She didn't want to look bad.''

What's more, Winfrey's training goal de-emphasized any concerns about weight loss or other cosmetic changes.

After she finished the half-marathon, Greene followed up by suggesting he and Winfrey hike down into the Grand Canyon and back out in a single day. That afforded Greene another six weeks of hard training.

``It was basically about buying time,'' Greene said. ``I kept placing events and challenges in front of her until it clicked (including the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., which Winfrey completed). She eventually made the connection between a fitness program and feeling good physically and mentally.''

Falling short of goals happens to everyone, whether it's Oprah Winfrey, a busy parent or a star athlete. Life's responsibilities and temptations can get in the way, stopping you from losing weight in January or participating in a planned summer triathlon.

``You will learn the most about yourself during any setbacks,'' Greene said. ``How you respond to lost results is what will ultimately dictate your long-term success. I say, jump back in there and get going again.''