Q. Why is it that when I go on a healthy weight-loss plan, I lose barely a pound a week, but after the weekend I’ve gained back more than a pound? It feels like I can’t go out and have a glass of wine and dessert occasionally because it will take me a month to undo the damage. – Isi Paraparaumu, Wellington, New Zealand
A. You’re a victim of the “weekend effect”: extra pounds that suddenly appear on Monday morning and take weeks to lose. But it’s not the glass of wine or occasional dessert that’s creating those love handles you hate. If you’re like most North Americans, on weekends you’re taking in way more calories than you realize. A 2008 study at Washington University School of Medicine found that dieters consistently gained weight on the weekends while losing weight during the week because they ate more on weekends. When you’re kicking back, a few more chips and another margarita or a second slice of pizza with the works seems OK because you were “good all week.” You probably also eat out more on weekends, and at many restaurants, “single” portions are big enough to feed a family of three (seriously), yet find their way into your body of one. So here’s our action plan for all weekends, not just one: Don’t drop your guard on Friday night and pick it up again Monday morning. Walk more. Try to lose a little on most weekends. And keep a food diary: Writing down what you eat, especially on weekends, will help you have that glass of wine with no regrets.
Q. My daughter has TMJ, and it’s sometimes hard for her to open her mouth or chew. Our dentist recommended using a mouth guard at night, but we didn’t have the money. Is there something else we can do? – Anonymous
A. The temporomandibular joint is probably the busiest hinge in the body. You use it constantly when you’re talking, chewing, yawning, swallowing and sneezing. But if doing those things hurts or causes clicking, popping or headaches, what’s often to blame is jaw clenching or tooth grinding at night. That’s probably why your dentist suggested a mouth guard. However, many other things can trigger TMJ pain as well, even bad posture, which can tighten the muscles around the joint, limiting the range of motion your daughter is experiencing.
But here’s some help. First, inexpensive self-molded mouth guards are available at most drugstores now; just follow the directions. Second, log on to DoctorOz.com for exercises to stretch the jaw and neck. Here’s one to try now: While seated, have your daughter bring her chin toward her chest, then lower her left ear toward her left shoulder and look up to the right. Increase the stretch by very gently pressing her head with her left hand. Reverse sides and repeat. Third, use cold packs or heat for 10-15 minutes at a time. Last, try progressive muscle relaxation: Have your daughter sit or lie down in a comfortable, quiet place, close her eyes and gradually tighten then relax all her muscles, starting with her toes and working to the top of her head. You might like doing this, too.
Q. I’m not only gluten-intolerant (no grains for me), but I also can’t eat soy. What other foods will help me get fiber into my diet? – Anonymous
A. You’ll get the most bang for your buck with beans, and we’re not making a gassy joke. A half-cup of kidney beans — the kind you get in meatless chili — supplies 7.9 grams of fiber. If you added a shredded carrot and 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms to the chili, you’d have 4 more grams, or about a third of your recommended 25-30 grams a day. Spoon the chili over a baked potato and finish your meal with a cup of raspberries, and you’re up to more than 20 grams of fiber. And that’s just one meal. Some other fiber powerhouses include peas (4.3 grams per 1/2 cup), Brussels sprouts (3.8 grams per 1/2 cup), strawberries (2.8 grams per 1/2 cup) and dried figs (3 grams for 1 1/2 figs). There’s also buckwheat, which isn’t a wheat; it’s a seed that’s ground into a nutty, somewhat bitter flour. The payoff: an impressive 9.6 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup.
The YOU Docs, Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen, are authors of “YOU: On a Diet.” Want more? See “The Dr. Oz Show” on TV (check local listings). To submit questions, visit realage.com.
