One key to not overeating is to simply only eat when you are hungry. Avoid temptation to eat at every chance you get and ask yourself “Am I really that hungry”. If you are then go ahead and fill up, but if you are not, pass on food or eat just a little bit or a piece of fruit.

When Ruth and Esther Ramos embarked on their labor of love, creation of a wide- ranging resource of information about Dominican Republic they just knew that a feature focussing on Dominican Republic's captivating capital City, Santo Domingo, was more than a must! Santo Domingo is often referred to as 'the oldest city in New World' for it was here that Christopher Columbus, smitten by many charms of Hispaniola - Isle he thought most beautiful land in World – eventually made his base. Having abandoned La Isabella their ill-fated first settlement (whilst Columbus was addressing a request by Queen to return to Spain) - Columbus' brother Bartolome embarked upon foundations of what has become today's capital city, in area now known as 'Zona Colonial'. Indeed, Columbus palace still stands in midst of this, oldest part of Santo Domingo, city this famous family not only founded but also 'presided' over for several years. But Santo Domingo, like Dominican Republic itself, has had a chequered history. In many ways it might be considered a City of 'dubious firsts'! It was from Santo Domingo that 'conquistadores' first set out to dominate rest of what has since come to be called 'West Indies', or Caribbean, as well as most of Americas. From here these Europeans invaded 'New World' generally usurping local natives, slaughtering, pillaging and vastly enriching Spanish empire in process. Santo Domingo also has infamous claim to being original home of 'the slave trade' as it was here that Africans were first 'forcibly imported' and set to work as enslaved labourers on burgeoning sugar plantations which made Hispaniola such a valuable asset to Spain for so many years. Even today Capital of Dominican Republic may still be judged a mixture of good, bad and ugly! But let's start with something positive...and there are some truly excellent aspects to this vibrant, thronging city of life, color and sound - Santo Domingo. The old colonial district, for instance, is a wonderful place, there is no doubt. Its antiquity is almost 'crystallised' as there are still so many well preserved aspects of original City of Columbus' time that survive. Many of those travelers who have ventured into Santo Domingo on their first trip to Dominican Republic have become entranced by its atmosphere and ambience. Like an illicit substance, many have found themselves drawn back again and again by addictive spell city seems to cast upon their soul.