You may be able to get some extra willpower against the munchies by following your nose.In a study, inhaling the scent of peppermint every couple of hours helped people eat less overall -- and eat better.

The Nose Knows
By the end of the 2-week study, the people who had sniffed peppermint every couple of hours during the day had also consumed fewer calories and eaten less fat, less saturated fat, and less sugar than the nonsniffers did. Bonus: Peppermint also reduces feelings of hunger. Here's another scent that may help curb your appetite.

The Weight Is Over
A healthy weight and trim waist keep blood pressure down and lower your risk of lots of things you don't want -- like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. And although there are plenty of tips and tricks for helping you eat less, a calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise remain the mainstays of weight control. But when you need a shrink-my-waist boost, try some of these ideas on for size as well:

• Ask yourself why. Most behavioral psychologists agree, finding out why you eat is key. Take this "why" test to find out your motivation for overeating.
• Try pen and ink. Studies prove that food diaries really do work. Find out how much more weight people lose with a food diary.
• Put money on it. Or some other reward. Discover how much more weight people lost when they were paid to do it.

Reading these can help you lose weight, too.

Next time you plan supper, think about having it a little earlier. You could be warded with sweet dreams.

That's the advice of Dr. Maoshing Ni, PhD, author of Second Spring. He notes that late-night dinners may disturb your sleep because they divert your body's resources to digesting when you need to be resting.

Time for Supper!
Ni suggests eating no later than 7 p.m. to help free up your liver to perform its daily detox duties while you get a good night's rest. So put aside those work e-mails and get home in time for dinner. Long workdays and an endless list of personal obligations are two of the biggest culprits in erratic mealtimes.Another nifty way to get more sleep: Stretch.

More on Meals
What and when you eat affects not only your sleep but also your energy levels. To help keep energy levels steady throughout the day, Dr. Ni recommends eating five small meals instead of three large ones. And don't forget to exercise daily. It's one of the best ways to combat fatigue. Get an intro to the ancient practice of chi-gong in this video.