Q: A friend who had 100 pounds to lose started following a strict 1,200-calorie diet devised by a nutritionist, and she dropped 8 pounds in two weeks. I want to lose 30 pounds, so l began the same diet but in two weeks I’ve lost only 1 pound.

Why isn’t it working for me?

New science in ‘The Journal of Nutrition’ shows that when women have less than 60 pounds to lose, calorie restriction rapidly leads to a weight-loss plateau. In your case, the better alternative is a controlled plan of eating more, which will trigger a 72 percent metabolic uptick as the body processes the extra calories.

To do: On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week, have a large breakfast that contains carbs, lean protein and healthy fats (like a wrap made with two scrambled eggs and avocado slices). The next week, have your mega meal on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; repeat the cycle. This staggered approach “surprises” the body to keep metabolism high—for a weight loss of about 3 pounds per week.