1. Am I doomed to gain holiday weight?
2. Are my “smart” snacks packing on pounds?
3. Does “chew slowly” really work?

Am I doomed to gain holiday weight?  Every year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, I gain at least 10 pounds—everything looks so delicious at holiday parties and dinners!  I’ve tried having a protein snack before heading out so I won’t be hungry, but I still end up over-eating.  Is there anything else I can do? 

Due to factors like stress and erratic eating schedules, blood sugar gets all out of whack during the holidays, bringing on hunger even when you’ve already eaten.  And while protein does help stabilize blood sugar and increase satiety, it isn’t always enough.  The better bet: Pair protein with fat from sources like dairy, flaxseed oil and nut butters.  With a protein-fat combo, digestion slows down more to stabilize blood sugar levels—and ward off hunger—longer.  Some ideas: Make chicken or tuna salad with a sour cream dip and enjoy on crackers, or sip a small smoothie blended with a dollop of peanut butter.

Are my “smart” snacks packing on pounds?   In an effort to lose my 35 post-baby pounds, I started eating more low-cal foods.  And when it comes to snacks and cookies, I stick to those 100-calorie packs.  But after a month, I gained another 5 pounds!  Why? 

New research may tell us: Women who categorize these 100-calorie mini packs as “diet food” actually overindulge in them, according to a study in the Journal of Consumer Research.  The tiny snacks made dieters feel so deprived, they subconsciously ate up to 700 extra calories daily.  Yet when faced with normal-size cookies in larger packaging, 96 percent of the same people did not overeat.  To get the portion-control benefits without the sensation of deprivation that sabotages slimming, I recommend filling several baggies with two regular-size cookies apiece (or the amount that equals 100 calories) and stashing the baggies in a cookie jar.  The simple stall that’s involved in going back to the jar for a second baggie will give you time to assess whether you are actually hungry.  Or, for the speediest weight loss, trade processed snacks for natural 100-calorie treats, like two apples, a banana, 10 almonds or ½ oz. of dark chocolate.

Does “chew slowly” really work?  My coworker recently lost all her belly pudge, and I never once saw her skimping on food.  I’m trying to lose about 30 pounds myself, so I asked how she did it.  She said that she just chews each bite of food about 20 times.  Sounds too easy…could that really work? 

Yes, it can!  Women who chew thoroughly, giving the brain time to register satiety, eat at least 70 fewer calories per meal than when they munch at their usual hurried pace, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  This can translate into a loss of four pounds a week!  Slow chewing also saturates food with saliva’s enzymes, so it’s better digested.  And this prevents poorly digested food from stagnating in the gut, releasing toxins that trigger cravings and signal the body to store more fat.  To slim quickly, simply chew each bite 20 to 30 times.  When that’s awkward to do (like at a holiday party), take an enzyme supplement to aid in the digestion of food.  I like Solaray Super Digestaway ($20 for 180 capsules, at health-food stores).