Nutrition Know-How
First for Women
By: Ann Louise Gittleman
May 2, 2005

Defying age-related weight gain

My heart sank when I just couldn’t zip up my favorite evening dress last weekend. I swear, it’s like someone flipped a switch on my 30th birthday that made it impossible to lose weight. I’m 38 now, and even though my habits haven’t changed, I’ve steadily gained a couple pounds a year. How can I reverse this trend?

You’re not alone: After age 30, women’s rate of calorie burn declines by about 100 a day every decade. Fortunately, you can trick your metabolism into thinking it’s 29 again by getting more B12, a vitamin found in meat, eggs and fortified cereals. In a study at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, participants who got plenty improved their bodies’ ability to burn calories for energy rather than store them as fat, whereas B12 avoiders gained 5 pounds.

The mealtime trick that’s better than cutting carbs

I love carbs too much to cut them out completely, but I had to do something to drop my 25 extra pounds. So I’ve been following a low-fat plan, plus I swapped my afternoon granola bar for fruit as a snack. It’s been a month, and the scale hasn’t budged a bit. Do I have to give up carbs to lose?

You don’t have to nix carbs or fat to slim down. Instead, reconsider your portions. Recent findings in Obesity Research found that dieters who focused solely on portion control lost at least 5 percent of their body weight, while those on diets that slashed fat or pushed extra produce gained five percent. Why? Restrictions that deprive you of your favorite foods tend to trigger cravings and binges. The easiest way to size up your plate: Aim for fist-size carbohydrate servings, golf ball-size amounts of fats (nuts and seeds) and palm-size portions of proteins.

Surprising source of belly fat

I have terrible constipation at least three times a month. The cramps and bloat make it tough to concentrate, and forget about squeezing into my jeans. My doctor told me to eat more fiber, so I’ve been downing fruits, vegetables and whole grains for the past few months. The constipation is pretty much gone, but my belly’s bigger than ever! Help!

It sounds like you upped your fiber intake too much. Consuming more than 50 grams a day can impair the absorption of two key slimming minerals: calcium, proven to boost the body’s ability to burn abdominal fat, and magnesium, which prevents the blood sugar swings that cause carb cravings. Fortunately, the fix is easy. Simply reduce your fiber intake to 28 grams (about nine servings total) a day, an amount that will keep you regular without blocking the absorption of tummy-flattening minerals.

Heartening news about vitamin E

Heart disease runs in my family, so ever since I read that vitamin E can protect against heart attack I’ve been taking a daily supplement. But now—years later— they say E can be dangerous! I’m nervous: Should I ditch the vitamin?