Oh no, here it comes again! Christmas: C for calories, H for hectic, R for rushed, I for imbibing, S for Santa, T for turkey, M for megamunching, A for aspirins, S for shopping.

Add 'em all together and what have you got? A recipe for personal punishment.

Yet stress, anxiety, weight gain, and unfitness are not what Christmas is supposed to be about. So what happened? Basically, most people have been swept up in the burgeoning tide of commercialism: the pressure to buy fancier and more expensive gifts, eat more and more food, and keep up with with increasingly elaborate decorating schemes.

Well, enough already, says US fitness guru Mr. Nelson Aspen, Jr. "It's possible to put the fitness back in your festivities without sacrificing the fun,'' he promised. "All it takes is readjusting your thinking.'' For example, he advises forgetting the word "denial'' and substituting "moderation.'' "What's involved here is the word `NO'! From our earliest memories, "no'' is a bad word, so if we keep saying no to this and no to that the result is we want to stomp our feet and eat twice as much.

"It doesn't make sense to deny yourself all the time,'' he continued.

"Pamper yourself. Take care of yourself the way you would take care of a child. Have a treat but in moderation.'' On the matter of substitutions, Mr. Aspen said there were many ways to improve one's Christmas eating without losing the pleasure.

"There are so many ways to substitute one thing for another and still enjoy what we're eating,'' he said. "For example, there is absolutely no nutritional value in white rice or white bread, so substitute brown rice and brown bread instead. Don't say no to bread.

"Make stuffing without raw eggs. Have a salad and just one mince tart. Share a piece of cake. Beans (all kinds) are high in protein, low in fat. Eat them instead of starches. Take smaller portions.

"It's not how much you eat but what you eat -- and remember, a calorie saved is a calorie earned. Any way you can reduce fat and calories the better it will be for you,'' he said. "Your body directly reflects what you eat versus what you work off, so it's a numbers game.'' In fact, Mr. Aspen dreams of the day when healthy holiday eating will be acceptable as no smoking is today.

"We can create new traditions with healthier recipes,'' he urged. "Why not make this year's Christmas theme `Fat-free'? Let's give new meaning to `Here's wishing you a healthy, happy Christmas'.'' The "Healthy, Happy Christmas'' concept was easily carried over into gift giving, Mr. Aspen assured, with something for everyone from couch potatoes to children and seniors.

"Instead of doing your shopping in department stores, shop in health food or sporting goods stores. Give the couch potato a new pair of sneakers or, at the very least an exercise video. A portable tape recorder with earphones and aerobic tapes also inspired exercise.

"Forget about buying seniors orthopaedic shoes -- they don't wear those any more. Instead, get them a trendy pair of cushioned sports shoes. Some are especially designed for walking.'' In fact, Mr. Aspen said attractive sports clothing was half the motivation for exercising.

"There is nothing so inspiring as new exercise duds,'' he assured. "Sharp white sports shoes attract you to jogging before you put them on. Even the box sweeps you up in the excitement. You feel like a six-year-old, it's quite euphoric.'' Make-overs and gift certificates were other positive choices. "Give someone a make-over gift -- a spa treatment, a massage, manicure or pedicure,'' he suggested. "Gifts like these are all about image. By the time Christmas is over, our image of ourselves may not be good. We may moan about how much we ate and drank, how out of shape we've become, and so forth, so make-overs are a positive way of correcting the discouragement.'' Similarly, gift certificates to health clubs, spas and beauty treatment centres were smart ways of showing someone you care about them enjoying a better lifestyle. Body care gifts, such as lotions, skin, hand and foot products, also contributed to an improved sense of wellbeing.

"It's the idea of doing something good for yourself, and that's such a contagious feeling,'' Mr. Aspen explained. "When you see somebody else taking care of themselves you want take care of yourself too. Hopefully, the concern for the health of your friends and loved ones will be appreciated. The best way to show somebody is by example.'' Constructive kitchen gifts included healthy cookbooks and enticing food baskets filled with items from health food stores.

Instead of giving children passive indoor games, including board and computer games, Mr. Aspen recommended gifts which would promote physical activity in the fresh air, such as skipping ropes, kites, croquet, volleyball and badminton sets, netball and basketball hoops, footballs, tricycles and bicycles.

"Not every outdoor activity has to be physically demanding, however. Croquet, for example, is particularly appropriate for the non-athletic types. It offers a way of exercising and getting fresh air in a non-strenuous way,'' he noted.

Packets of seeds, seedlings, and gardening tools were other ideas to promoting outdoor activity by adults and children alike.

Traditional edible gifts, such as chocolates, cakes, jams, liquor, candy and cookies, were popular but unhealthy choices, being laden with the wrong kind of calories.

"Instead of giving bottles of liquor, why not give an assortment of juices, mineral waters, and bottled water,'' Mr. Aspen offered. "When you go visiting, take baskets of fresh fruit instead of chocolates, candies, cakes and cookies. Give children healthy snacks instead of candy bars.'' Blenders and juicers were ideal gifts to promote healthy drinks because they used fresh fruit and vegetables in delicious ways.

Pets, Mr. Aspen suggested, were also healthy gifts, particularly puppies. "A pet is not only therapeutic, but in the case of dogs, gets the owner on the move exercising it. And if the gift is a puppy, the owner will get more exercise than they know what to do with!'' "What all of these suggestions come down to is adopting a new approach to Christmas giving,'' Mr. Aspen said. "And as you can see, not every gift suggestion is expensive.'' If you're wondering how to cope with Christmas hospitality and survive the traditional fare without either starving, appearing rude, or even a crank, Mr.

Aspen has the answer: "Of course you don't want to refuse your host or hostess' hospitality, nor do you want to insult them. But eaters can handle food in the same way non-smokers and drinkers deal with their problem: politely decline, choose the healthiest items on the menu, or simply have a small taste of everything.'' But what if that isn't possible? "If you lapse, don't beat up on yourself. Just don't do it again the next day,'' he advised. "If you are going somewhere where you know there isn't a prayer of having even one healthy item, why not take along a gorgeous fresh fruit salad as an alternative to the dessert.'' For their part, hosts and hostesses can do more for their festive guests by making sure their hospitality includes healthy choices.

"You can still serve the things you like but be creative about it. This is where you can show someone you care by going out of your way to do something innovative. Parties are about love and caring, so care enough to be creative,'' Mr. Aspen urged.

Above all, don't forget to exercise.

"Walk to church, do something active as a family,'' the supremely fit ex-couch potato said. "Bodies in motion stay in motion. Keep moving!'' MR. NELSON ASPEN -- "Christmas is crisis time for waistlines in most western civilisations.''