1. I Keep Switching Diets But Nothing Works!
2. Is Heartburn Causing Me To Be Fat?
3. Does Sleeping More Make You Skinny?

I Keep Switching Diets But Nothing Works!   I was always slim…until I got pregnant and had my first child eight months ago.  When I decided it was time to get rid of the extra 60 pounds, I went low-fat for two weeks.  I saw no results, so I switched to low-carb for two weeks—still nothing.  Other women lose weight with these diets.  Why not me? 

Don’t worry:  The hormones that regulate appetite, metabolism and fat storage can fluctuate and affect a woman’s body for a year or more after giving birth, so 60 percent of new moms won’t get instant results with a diet.  The good news:  Recent findings suggest that when new moms simply pick one diet-regardless of which plan it is-and stick to it for four to six weeks to give the body time to adjust, they find weight-loss success.  So choose a plan that won’t leave you feeling hungry or deprived and stay with it.  My hunch is that the pounds will start falling off around week three and will continue to drop thereafter. 

Is Heartburn Causing Me To Be Fat?   Every meal I eat causes indigestion and heartburn, so I take a lot of antacids.  But I’ve noticed that the pounds are piling on, to the tune of 18 pounds in four months!  My doctor says this is normal for a 40-year-old, but I feel my weight gain has something to do with the heartburn.  Is that possible?

Yes, your heartburn, antacid use and weight gain could be linked.  Most people think these problems are a result of too much stomach acid, so they take antacids.  But the problem may actually be too little hydrochloric acid (HCI).  A shortage of HCI in the body can add pounds because the acid stimulates the production of fat-metabolizing bile and digestive enzymes.  This lack of enzymes can cause indigestion, but the use of antacids just reduces HCI further.  To restore HCI, replace your antacid with an HCI supplement, like Now Betaine HCI ($8 for 120 capsules, at iHerb.com).  Take one pill at the start of each meal.  If upon taking the HCI supplement you notice a burning sensation, you likely have an ulcer.  Discontinue using this product and see your doctor. 

Does Sleeping More Make You Skinny?   For years now, I’ve heard that too little sleep causes weight gain.  And I can vouch for that:  Since my promotion six months ago, I’ve been getting five hours of sleep a night, and I’ve gained 22 pounds even though I’m eating less.  But as much as I’d like to, I can’t get more sleep.  Am I destined to be fat? 

Though women who sleep five hours or less each night often weigh more than their well-rested peers, it’s possible to outsmart this weight gain.  Although the exact mechanism isn’t yet known, the latest research suggests that sleep deprivation packs on pounds by slowing down metabolism.  That said, you should eat more often.  Unlike eating less, which slows the body down, eating frequently naturally revs metabolism.  So munch on low-cal snacks like celery or carrot sticks every 30 minutes.