What snacks shortcircuit PM cravings?

Q:

I’m trying to lose 14 pounds before Christmas. It’s easy to stick to my diet until around 4, when cravings kick in and all I can think about is grabbing a big bag of pretzels or stack of cookies! Can any snacks keep me on track?

A:

We recommend replacing the no-go snacks in your cupboard with nuts—whatever variety you enjoy most. A new study published in the journal Nutrients found that folks who snack daily on a small handful of tree nuts (macadamias, cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios or walnuts) were twice as likely to stick to their diets and meet their weight-loss goals. The credit goes to the nuts’ unique combination of fiber and unsaturated fats, which keep you feeling fuller hours longer than processed snacks like pretzels and chips, plus boost your metabolism by 11%. Tip: Pair your snack with a cup of green tea, and British researchers say you’ll rev fat burn by an extra 17%.

Q

My friend says multivitamins helped her lose weight and feel younger. I eat healthy. Do I need them?

A

While food is the best way to get nutrients, today’s produce contain a fraction of the nutrients they had in generations past due to soil depletion. For example, the USDA reports an average apple has 48% less calcium, 82% less magnesium and 96% less iron than it did 80 years ago. And research shows that multivitamins help offset undetected nutrient deficiencies so well, people who start taking them report age-rewinding benefits, including a 44% lower risk of heart attack, 68% lower stress levels and a 350% boost in weight loss!

Try a multivitamin that comes in am/pm doses (like Life Extension Two-Per-Day, LifeExtension.com/ ffw), or cut your pill in half and take half with breakfast and half with lunch or dinner. Taking vitamins with meals ensures proper absorption and splitting doses keeps nutrient levels steady.