After all that binging, it’s do or diet!

So did you or didn’t you? That is, put on weight from all that holiday binging. And now, it’s payday. Time to diet! More than that, welcome a whole new you for the new year with actress Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover, which is a real weighty book (296 pages, available at National Book Store).

"I’ve met so many people who are looking for something beyond weight loss – to get beyond thinking of ‘health’ as losing weight in a quick temporary way," says the marvelous-looking Marilu Henner who’s come up with a 30-day plan (for every day of her fun-filled, terrific and not-so-"calorific" life), which she shares in her book.

Ever the hostess with the mostest, Marilu has quite a mouthful to say to her avid followers:

"If you were to be a guest in my home for 30 days, the plan in this book is pretty much what you would take away from that experience – a total picture of healthy eating, exercising, and organization.

"Our health goes beyond what we put in our bodies. It is a mind-body-environment connection that can’t be viewed separately.

"Being healthy isn’t just about eliminating the junk from your body or from the food that you eat. It’s also about eliminating the junk that clogs up your life. It’s all part of the formula that brings you to the BEST (Balance, Energy, Stamina, Toxin-Free) version of yourself – from the inside out, the outside in, and everywhere in between. It’s not just about your weight, it’s about your whole life picture."

Marilu spills the beans about the benefits of "food combining" and shares some easy-to-follow recipes:

• Do NOT eat proteins and starches together. The body requires an acid base to digest proteins and an alkaline base to digest starches. Proteins and starches combine well with green, leafy vegetables and non-starchy vegetables, but they do not combine well with each other.

• Do NOT mix fruit with proteins, starches, or any kind of vegetable. Fruits digest so quickly that by the time they reach the stomach they are already partially digested. If they are combined with other foods, they will rot and ferment. Only eat fruit with other fruits.

• NEVER eat melons with any other food, including other fruits as they digest faster than any other food.

• NEVER eat nuts without some acid fruit.

• Do NOT mix acid and/or sub-acid fruits with sweet fruits at the same meal. Acid fruits such as grapefruits, pineapple, and strawberries can be mixed with sub-acid fruits such as apples, grapes, and peaches, but neither of these categories can be mixed with sweet fruits such as bananas, dates, or raisins.

• DO eat only four to six different fruits or vegetables at one meal.

• DO divide your day into three food combining segments. Preferably eat fruit only in the morning, a protein lunch, and a starch dinner.

• DO eat foods high in calcium if you choose not to take dairy products. If you take dairy, DO combine it with an acid fruit, especially pineapple, which contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps the stomach digest dairy.

• DO drink spring or bottled water only.

• DO drink liquids 15 minutes before eating or one hour after eating.

• When drinking alcohol, DO follow these rules:

• Drink two glasses of water for every one ounce of liquor, four ounces of wine, or eight ounces of beer.

• Drink beer and grain alcohol (vodka, scotch, rye whiskey, sake, etc.) when eating starches.

• Ideally, you should drink wine and champagne only with fruit.

Sweet ’n’ Easy Grilled Tuna With Steamed Broccoli

1 small shallot (green onion), minced
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 to 8 ounces tuna

In a glass bowl, combine the shallot, vegetable broth, and balsamic vinegar. Poke holes in the tuna with a fork (both sides). Let marinate for 20 to 30 minutes. Grill or broil 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve with 2 cups steamed broccoli. Serves 1.

Danny Devito’s Tomato-Mint Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic
Mint (big bunch), washed and stemmed
4 plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and chopped
1 pound medium-sized pasta shells
Salt and pepper

Make a paste of the olive oil, garlic, mint, and tomatoes using a mortar and pestle. Cook the shells al dente, drain well, and cool. Toss the tomato-mint mixture with the shells. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 6.

All-In-One Brown Rice And Veggies

1/2 of a yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 red plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 cup brown rice
2-1/2 cups water

Sauté all the vegetables in the oil. Add the garlic and brown rice. Sauté for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the water, turn the heat to high, and boil all the water out. When all the water is gone, lower heat to lowest setting, placed the lid on, and leave for 20 minutes. No peeking or stirring! Serves 4.

Special Bread Pudding

8 slices stale whole wheat bread
1 cup soy milk
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
3 tablespoons soy margarine
2/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon allspice
1 egg white
4 tablespoons soy milk
Pinch of ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350°. Roughly break up the bread and place in a mixing bowl with 1 cup soy milk. Let soak. Add the raisins, margarine, honey, and allspice. Beat well. Whisk together the egg white and 4 tablespoons soy milk and add to bread mixture. Turn into a greased shallow ovenproof dish, level the surface, and sprinkle with ground nutmeg. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until set. Serve hot or cold. Serves 6.

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Go ahead, have your cake (or pudding) and eat it, too!