Nutrition Know-How
First for Women
By: Ann Louise Gittleman
May 23, 2005

SOS for post-baby belly

No matter how many crunches I do, nothing seems to get rid of all the belly fat I gained while I was pregnant—seven years ago! I’ve heard that getting more calcium helps, but I’m lactose intolerant. Is there anything I can eat besides dairy?

Yes! Any calcium source can help diminish belly fat. One study found that participants who consumed 1,100 mg a day lost 81 percent more abdominal fat than those who took in only 500 mg. And while you could take the study-backed amount in one daily supplement, our bodies simply can’t absorb that much calcium at once. To get the tummy-flattening dose and avoid lactose intolerance flare-ups, reach for nondairy sources throughout the day like sardines (325 mg per 3-oz serving) and fortified orange juice (300 mg per cup). And don’t forget your daily multivitamin, (many contain 250 to 450 mg).

The best fat-melting breakfast

Six months ago I was promoted from sales to administration. I was thrilled, but thanks to being hunched over a desk all day, I’ve since gained 10 pounds. To reverse the trend, I started walking before breakfast. It’s been several weeks now, but so far I haven’t lost a pound! What am I doing wrong?

Try having breakfast before your morning walk. Fitness experts have learned that we burn more calories when we work out on a full stomach. The reason: Energy-fueling glucose rapidly enters the bloodstream after our nighttime fast, helping us exercise more efficiently. For the best stamina boost, try sipping a smoothie made with fresh berries, water and powdered whey protein, an amino acid-rich substance derived from cow’s milk that’s proven to help nourish muscles during activity.

Proven way to nix any craving

When I get home from work at night, I’m so hungry that I need a predinner snack. And even though I tell myself to keep it healthy, the second I see potato chips, forget it—I practically devour the entire bag! Unfortunately, they’re my kids’ favorite snack, so I can’t stop buying them. How can I stop eating them?

It may be when you’re diving into that bag of potato chips that’s fueling those repeat binges. By 5 P.M. you’re done digesting your lunch, and eating any food on an empty stomach heightens your enjoyment. The bottom line: Your brain has linked chips with pleasure, making your evening craving tough to resist. To break the link, here’s my advice: For the next two weeks, eat potato chips twice a day—but do it on a full stomach. Research in the UK proves that this trick effectively decreases the desire for the food you crave since you’ll learn to associate it with feeling uncomfortably stuffed.

Preventing warm-weather colds

It never fails: Every year I catch a chest cold just as the weather warms up and the kids start begging to go to the pool. I’ve tried getting more vitamin C, but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. Is there anything else I can eat to fend off springtime sniffles?

You can significantly cut your odds of contracting a cold this summer (and throughout the year) by filling up on brightly colored produce such as carrots, kiwifruit and tomatoes. They’re high in beta-carotene, a carotenoid (plant nutrient) that helps the body manufacture immune cells. In fact, in one British study, participants with the highest blood levels of beta-carotene had 29 percent fewer respiratory infections.