Miss Jamaica Universe 2008, April Jackson, needed to go down two dress sizes. When she started with personal trainer Nicholas Pitt of All About You Fitness Studio on June 26, she weighed 153 pounds. By July 26, she was down 14 pounds to 139.

Pitt notes that it's easier to lose 10 pounds then to lose 50. "It's very, very hard to do," he says. "Slimmer persons have more muscles to lose than fat ones." Jackson moved from a size six to a four with light weights, high repetition, plyometrics and the most important part - her diet change.

"I don't work by pounds, but how I look. I wanted to be slimmer, didn't like my tummy, and photographs make you look five pounds heavier." Jackson's lifestyle had her on the road a lot so it was hard for her to monitor what she ate. "I love food, I love to cook and do a lot of cream sauces." She now uses Pam spray for cooking and, as an open chocoholic, she is allowed a 2x2-inch bit once per week. Pak choi, broccoli and greens are a part of her everyday diet.

Pitt reveals that Jackson has been very disciplined in her lifestyle change. Her day starts with breakfast of three egg whites and one cup of greens or a protein shake. Two and a half hours later she will have three ounces of protein and more greens.

Diet

Her lunch is usually three ounces of protein (equivalent to one deboned chicken breast), greens and a half cup of starch (not processed) which may be pumpkin, sweet or Irish potato or yam.

She has cut out sauces, breads, pastas and has drinks natural juices, no concentrate. This diet may seem very mundane but for this beauty queen: "After a couple of days you don't think about it. If I eat out, I usually put half in a box." Though many may think that at six feet tall, the beauty queen is too skinny, her trainer explains, "there is a healthy way to be skinny".

All About You Fitness Studio

7 Goodwood Terrace

Tel: 925-6630.

April Jackson, Miss Jamaica Universe 2008, does some pull downs under the watchful eyes of trainer Nicholas Pitt.