1. Can A Diet Shake Trigger Weight Gain?
2. Help! My Diet Tires Me Out!
3. Is Cranberry The Only Toxin-Flushing Juice?

Can A Diet Shake Trigger Weight Gain?  For four months I’ve been substituting at least one meal a day with a diet protein shake.  At first the pounds just fell off, but then my weight loss stalled—and now I’ve started to gain!  Why is this happening? 

It may have to do with sneaky ingredients in many brands of protein shakes: artificial sweeteners.  These chemicals can disrupt the body’s ability to count calories and sense fullness—so much so that consuming them every day has been shown to increase obesity risk by 55 percent.  It takes a few months to see the weight-sabotaging effects, so your “lost then gained” story is not unusual.  From now on, choose brands that have natural zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia and inulin, and avoid artificial sweeteners like sucralose, acesulfame-K and aspartame.  Try: Jay Robb’s Whey Protein ($38 for 2 lbs., at health food stores and amazon.com) or Fat Flush Whey Protein ($45 for 2 lbs., at UniKeyHealth.com, or call 800-888-4353 to receive a 20 percent discount. 

Help!  My Diet Tires Me Out!   Two months ago I started a diet that has me eating the same thing every day: yogurt and fruit for breakfast, a chicken breast and side salad for lunch and another salad for dinner.  The choices seem healthy and I’ve lost 14 pounds.  But I’m so run-down, and right now I need more energy to get through the holidays.  Any advice? 

By eating so many of the same foods, you’re probably missing out on nutrients like iron, magnesium and essential fatty acids, which are crucial for high energy.  Starting tomorrow, take a tally of the number of different foods you eat.  If the total is 16 or fewer over three days, it’s time to add variety to your diet.  People in one study who tried this trick and stayed above the number 16 improved their nutritional profile by 73 percent.  They also reported more energy and better ability to cope with stress.  Try boosting your nutritional profile with powerhouses like broccoli, berries, sweet potatoes and lean beef.  And consume healthy fats from salmon, flaxseed oil or an omega-3 supplement.  They provide additional energy and double your slimming efforts. 

Is Cranberry The Only Toxin-Flushing Juice?  I recently tried the Fat Flush Plan in an effort to start losing the 28 pounds I gained during my pregnancy.  But by day four, I had major stomach pain from drinking so much fat-flushing cranberry juice.  Is there a less acidic fat flusher that a heartburn sufferer like me can try? 

Yes, there is!  A tip I use myself: Add 1 tsp. stevia powder to each quart of cran-water (8 oz. cranberry juice with 56 oz. water).  The plant fiber in the stevia cuts down on the acidity of the beverage, plus it boosts the population of digestion-enhancing bacteria in the gut.  That makes the drink more bearable to a sensitive stomach.  Another fat-flushing alternative: Mix 4 Tbs. apple cider vinegar with 64 oz.