Soap Stud Kristoff St. John Kicks Butt

Also: Meet 'Hollywood's Secret' Fitness Weapons Dr. Betty Ehrlich And Author Charles Hunt

Daytime Drama
It's Y2K, W2. That's Year 2000, Week 2. You just dragged yourself out of bed and are standing in front of a full-length mirror. Big mistake.

What happened?!? Perhaps it was that third cup of egg nog at the Johnsons' Christmas party. Whatever it was, that creamy filling just showed up in your midsection.

Don't worry; I'm bringing in the pros. Here's your chance to get into shape with CBS' "The Young and the Restless" star, Daytime Emmy-winning actor Kristoff St. John.

Daytime Dude
Okay, I admit it. I've got to have my "Young and the Restless" fix every day. And I'm far from alone. With some of the most sizzling plot lines on daytime television, "Y&R," as it is affectionately known to millions of viewers, is consistently the No. 1 daytime drama.

One of the hottest stars of the show is St. John, who plays Neil Winters. But when he's not hanging out in the show's make-believe Genoa City, St. John is challenging America to get into shape.

The buff actor sat down to give me the scoop.

Soap Box
St. John's aerobics video "Kick Butt," released two years ago, is still a bestseller. Now St. John is challenging America's kids to stay healthy with a hot new workout video for kids called "TKO" -- which stands for "Training Kids of America."

St. John, who produced and directed the video, tells me, "It's an overall video for the family, but especially for the kids. The kids can pop this into the VCR without Mom and Dad being there and simply have a lot of fun."

However, he advises that a parent or guardian help get the kids motivated and excited about the video in the beginning -- that translates into participating. St. John promises that everyone will have fun with this low-impact, high-energy workout, which incorporates stretching, cardio-vascular training and a special TKO program.

The video stars the actor's son Julian and daughter Paris. The video is $9.95 and is available by calling (888) 237-0645. A Web site will be up and running soon, too. I'll let you know the address in the next column.

Just Do It
"First thing you've got to do is be confident with yourself." St. John is giving me a pep talk on getting started.

"You can get your butt out of bed. You can get into the car. You can turn the ignition, and you can press the gas pedal and get to the gym."

Talk about a "can do" attitude ...

One thing you should know about St. John is that his vocabulary doesn't include a lot of negatives. In fact, his positive energy is contagious. I find myself wanting to go to the gym immediately, and I never want to go work out.

St. John continues, "If you can't get to the gym for any reason, than you can do it at home. You can buy a tape and pop it into your VCR."

But, he admits, sometimes it's even tough for this super stud to keep motivated.

St. John tells me, "Many days I've woken up in the morning and went, 'I don't feel like going to the gym.' Half the battle is getting there, getting yourself motivated, saying: 'I'm getting to the gym,' not 'I don't feel like it.'"

So what does he advise to help stay motivated and on track?

St. John says the secret is "eating the right kinds of foods. Keeping your diet balanced. If you have a bad mixture of foods, then it's going to upset your stomach, which will upset your psyche. Also, surround yourself with people who want to help motivate you. Hang out with people who are friends who want to build you up, not tear you down."

Still Young And Restless?
Aside from St. John's success on "Y&R," he has also guest-starred on a host of other shows, including a recurring guest role as Holly Robinson's husband on the long-running sitcom "Hanging With Mr. Cooper." Look for him in the show's syndicated reruns.

St. John is also the publisher and founder of the mega-hot all soap-related Web site www.soapstarworld.com. With the latest soap world buzz, the site is fun, interactive and rocks with plenty of daytime news.

Will we see him back for another season of "Y&R?" You heard it hear first: It's not a "definite."

"I'm just coming up on my 10th year and we're about to renegotiate contracts," he says. "And who knows if I'll be still be there come March or April of this year?"

Could this be the end for the sibling characters of Neil and Malcolm Winters? (Actor Shemar Moore plays Malcolm.)

"Shemar and I are boys -- we're the best of friends," St. John says.

But, he says slyly, "Shemar's contract is coming up too, and who knows? They may be looking for two new Winters brothers."

I would call that a cold winter in Genoa City.

But, whatever happens, the genuine and talented St. John's career is only moving forward and expanding -- surprising us at every turn.

Hollywood's Secret Fitness Weapons:
Dr. Betty Ehrlich And Author Charles Hunt

So where do the stars go when they want to get into shape? Although these two experts won't tell you who's been to their offices in Los Angeles (that's why they're secret, silly), plenty of Hollywood's elite flocks to them for fitness advice.

So don your dark sunglasses and baseball cap -- we're going undercover.

Food For Thought

They call her "Dr. Betty." Attractive, funny and wonderfully fit, Betty Ehrlich, D.C., CCN, could easily be mistaken for one of her movie star clients.

And although Ehrlich is mum on just which big names visit her office, she does say with a wink, "We see a lot of people in the entertainment business, performers, actors, directors, producers and writers."

But whether you are a movie star or just a regular Joe or Jane, we seem to all want the same thing -- to lose weight and look better.

"More than 80 percent of the people who come to me today have an issue with their weight," Ehrlich tells me. "And no matter what their size, they want to lose weight, particularly fat."

But is there a quick fix or magic formula for weight loss?

Ehrlich says no way.

"For so many people there's no trick or gimmicks," she says. "I'm not going to say eat two whole pineapples and a tomato and eat before the moon goes down. For most people, it's really getting to the basic sense of the diet."

And the biggest diet mistake?

"The biggest mistake is that people starve themselves," she says. "Their metabolisms are depleted. Their adrenals are so run-down from fasting and stress. So many people have sub-clinical conditions."

Hunger Plans

Ehrlich's patients receive highly individualized treatment.

"We start patients with realistic goals and put them on diets and monitor every single day what they're eating, how they're feeling," she says. Ehrlich also encourages her clients to take supplements.

"Their supplements are actually whole food products, not things that are synthesized -- products that actually cause more vitamin deficiency," she tells me.

"And the amazing thing is that people who've been on every single diet say, 'That's all it is?'

"It's really so simple: You need to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and a couple of snacks during the day."

But many of you do not live in Los Angeles and can't stop by her office for guidance, so I asked Ehrlich what you could do to get started on your own. Here are her recommendations:

• Keep A Food Diary
  

  Ehrlich says, "Having a food diary is really important to be honest with yourself about just how much you're eating and trying to not eat foods that are packaged foods or processed foods."

• Exercise Regularly
  

  "Find time to go and exercise. Talk a walk. Abdominal crunches are great, too. Even 15 minutes every couple of days will make a huge difference. The more lean muscle you have, you win double -- you look better and your metabolism is a little bit higher."

• Keep Meals Balanced
  

  "Keep your meals balanced. Eat something from each main food group. All the functions that go on in your body need something from those main groups. Remember, your body works 24 hours a day," Ehrlich says.

• Eat Whole Foods
  

  "Any food that's been prepared is typically not going to be good for you. Particularly wheat products. Things like crackers. It's going to have hydrogenated oils, hidden salts and completely empty calories. Eat vegetables and lean proteins."

She should know. After all, she's her best example.

Dr. Betty is a certified clinical nutritionist and a doctor of chiropractic. She's also a qualified medical evaluator for the State of California Industrial Medical Council and an American Chiropractic Board of Nutrition Diplomate, among other certifications.

Ehrlich can be reached at her private practice, Essential Health, 11053 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90025. You may e-mail her at docbae@aol.com or call (310) 312-0338.

Charles In Charge

The day that author and fitness expert Charles Hunt almost died was the day he decided that traditional diet and even exercise weren't for him. So began the journey that eventually led to his latest book "Diet Evolution."

You've seen him in USA Today and "Oprah;" now find out why a prominent Beverly Hills plastic surgeon wants you to read his book before you even think about liposuction.

Diet Riot

Hunt is adamant about changing the way we approach eating.

"My goal is to make it as simple as possible," Hunt says of his book. "That's why I call it a diet evolution. Not to diet, simply to eat the foods you are designed to eat and have that be your lifestyle.

"Diet in its original usage meant a way of life. The way it's been misconstrued in our country is a short-term change in behavior in order to lose weight."

So what's his big secret?

Hunt says his approach is actually very straightforward.

"Here's the list of foods you are designed to eat," he says. "Eat whatever you want from that list. It really is that simple."

And what's on that list?

You won't find processed foods here. Just like Ehrlich, Hunt believes that whole "pre-agricultural age" foods are the best for us. He also stays away from foods that he says are not natural for our bodies to consume: grains, rice and other starches.

His reason?

"Our genetics are the same as they were 50,000 years ago," he says. "So when we put food into our body, our bodies are expecting the same fuel that we ate back then.

"Humans were simply not designed to eat certain foods."

I wonder if humans were meant to eat chocolate? Probably not.

But Hunt's theories makes good sense. Be sure to check out his Web site to order his book -- it's an easy and informative read and it may just change your life.

What's The Buzz?

I must brag a little. This Wednesday, my buddy, television writer Jim Halterman's, very own "Beverly Hills 90210" episode "Tainted Love" (he wrote the whole darn thing) will be broadcast on FOX. He tells me it's juuuuuuicy. A Los Angeles night club is hosting a big bash in his honor -- it is Hollywood, after all. They grow up so fast, don't they?

Star Gazing

Just Teasing

• Next Week: Everyone wants him. But only one record label gets his signature. Find out why this young singer has record labels singing so sweetly. Meet a sensation in the making: singer/songwriter Terrell Carter.
• Past On The Set columns

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